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Comment by rmdashrfstar | Hacker News Reader

The largest and strongest animals are herbivores and yet people are obsessed with eating flesh because “protein”, lol

Herbivores have digestive tracks that are better at breaking down plant matter than ours [1]. They also spend far more time eating [2]. Obviously these are not huge problems these days, since we can grow plants that give us more protein and calories, while being easier to digest. But to say "hippo get strong from eating plant, you get strong from eating plant" is pretty silly. If you spend 5-6 hours a day eating grass like a hippo, you will die from starvation.

1. https://stluciasouthafrica.com/hippo-facts/hippo-digestive-s...

2. https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/hippopotamus/diet....

Hippos have to graze up to 16 hours a day. Meat is a shortcut that enabled our species to put time into other things that made us the dominant species on the planet.

So is wheat/gluten.

You should eat only grass for a year and report back how you feel about this.

Does wheat-based cereal count?

I don't have a rumen or an abomasum.

If you want to be large and strong, the science is irrefutable... eating meat is essential. Nothing substitutes.

How is it possible that meat is "essential" for size or strength, when there are plenty of professional athletes who eat vegan?

This guy weighs 263 pounds, squats > 650, and eats vegan. https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/ryanjstills

How is it possible that it's essential, when a 22 yr old juicing to the gills can look like a bodybuilder carved out of marble?

Well, when you're not a 1-in-a-million athlete. That's how it's possible.

Who are you talking about? What juiced-to-the-gills 22 year old?

More importantly, what's the science backing your claim that eating meat is essential to becoming big and strong?

Vegan athletes are a rounding error, and most suppliment with things you would not typically consider vegan, much less nagural.

The claim is that meat is "essential" to become big and strong. Which nutrients in meat are "essential" for this but not in a vegan's diet, so that they have to fill the gap with supplements to be competitive in sports?

For what one anecdote is worth, I'm friends with a former professional athlete who tried a vegan diet after after retiring - and years on he is still as freakishly strong and agile as ever. Many well-known pro athletes have gone vegan during their careers as well: Chris Paul, Venus Williams, Carl Lewis, among others.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/yes-can-vegetarian-athlet...

https://www.gq.com/story/real-life-diet-chris-paul

Yes, that's right, those large and strong herbivores are a great source of protein.

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