A Scientific Look at the Nutritional Value of Human Flesh
While the topic is macabre, the nutritional science of human flesh has been explored by researchers and anthropologists seeking to understand historical practices of cannibalism. The primary source for modern nutritional estimates comes from a 2017 study published in Scientific Reports by archaeologist James Cole. Cole’s research, based on the chemical compositions of human males analyzed in older studies, aimed to assess whether ancient cannibalism was a nutritionally viable hunting strategy. His findings suggest that while human bodies do contain a significant amount of protein and fat, they are a relatively poor caloric return compared to large animal prey.
The average adult human body contains a large amount of protein, as it makes up the basic structure of all tissues. Protein accounts for roughly 15% to 16% of a person's total body weight. For an average adult male weighing around 70 kg, this translates to about 10.6 to 11 kg of total body protein. The most significant protein content comes from skeletal muscle, which constitutes about 40% of a healthy adult's body weight and is itself composed of approximately 20% protein. This means an average human contains roughly 5 to 6 kg of muscle protein alone. However, the key takeaway from Cole's research is that for prehistoric hunter-gatherers, the caloric payoff from hunting a human was not worth the risk when large animals were available. A group of 25 men could survive just over two days on the total calories from one adult male, a stark contrast to the months of sustenance a single mammoth could provide.
Caloric Breakdown of Human Body Parts
- Human Thighs: Contain the most significant reserves of muscle and fat, estimated at around 13,350 calories.
- Liver: Provides approximately 2,570 calories, a day's worth for an average adult.
- Heart: Estimated to contain about 651 calories.
- Brain and Nervous Tissue: Collectively contain a high caloric density, around 2,706 calories.
- Overall Body (Edible Portions): Totaled approximately 125,822 to 143,771 calories, though this pales in comparison to larger, more efficient prey.
The Severe Dangers of Eating Human Meat
Beyond the ethical and moral dimensions, which are profoundly significant, the act of consuming human flesh, or anthropophagy, carries extremely serious and often fatal health risks. The most infamous of these is a transmissible neurodegenerative disease called Kuru. It is caused by infectious, misfolded proteins known as prions.
The disease was an epidemic among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea, who practiced ritualistic endocannibalism as a funerary rite. In this practice, women and children consumed the brains of deceased relatives, which were highly infectious if the deceased had a prion disease. The disease, whose name means 'to shiver,' caused a progressive lack of coordination, tremors, and eventually severe dementia, leading to death within a year or two. While ritualistic cannibalism ceased in the 1950s, cases of Kuru continued to appear for decades due to its long incubation period, which could last over 50 years. The near eradication of Kuru provides a chilling example of the oral transmission of a human prion disease.
In addition to prions, other infectious agents can be transmitted through cannibalism. Consuming another person's flesh, particularly if raw or improperly prepared, poses risks for a wide range of bloodborne and gut pathogens, including hepatitis, syphilis, and HIV. The overall nutritional benefits are minimal and utterly dwarfed by the life-threatening consequences.
Anthropological Reasons for Cannibalism
Despite the low nutritional return, cannibalism has occurred in human history for a variety of reasons that go beyond mere hunger. Ethnographic and archaeological records indicate that social, ritualistic, and symbolic factors were often more powerful motivators.
- Ritualistic Consumption: In some cultures, consuming deceased relatives (endocannibalism) was an act of mourning and reverence, a way to keep the deceased's spirit within the family.
- Symbolic Power: The consumption of enemies (exocannibalism) was sometimes believed to transfer the enemy's strength or courage to the consumer. It also served as a powerful act of vengeance or desecration.
- Survival: In desperate, life-threatening situations, such as famine or shipwreck, cannibalism has been resorted to out of necessity. However, the low caloric yield makes this a suboptimal survival strategy.
- Colonial Misrepresentation: Historically, reports of cannibalism by Western colonizers were often exaggerated or invented to portray native peoples as savage, thereby justifying their subjugation and exploitation.
Comparative Nutritional Value: Human vs. Alternative Prey
To underscore the nutritional inefficiency of human meat, consider the comparison developed from archaeological studies.
| Attribute | Average Adult Human | Average Mammal (e.g., Pig) | Average Prehistoric Megafauna (e.g., Mammoth) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Edible Calories | ~126,000 kcal | ~86,000 kcal (for a 140lb dressed pig) | ~3,600,000 kcal |
| Calories per Pound | ~650 kcal | ~614 kcal | Significantly Higher |
| Hunting Risk | High (humans can fight back) | Moderate | High, but greater reward |
| Sustenance Potential | Less than 1 day for 25 people | ~1 day for 25 people | ~60 days for 25 people |
Conclusion: The Final Word on Human Protein
In short, while the human body contains a quantifiable amount of protein and fat, consuming it is an incredibly inefficient and dangerous way to acquire nutrients. The total caloric value is low compared to more readily available animal prey, and the health risks, particularly the risk of contracting fatal prion diseases like Kuru, are catastrophic. Anthropological research has demonstrated that when cannibalism did occur, it was motivated more by complex social, ritualistic, or symbolic factors than by a simple desire for sustenance. The practice has diminished significantly worldwide, not just because of moral objections but because it is an ill-advised survival tactic. For further reading, an authoritative source on the topic is the 2017 study by James Cole in Scientific Reports, "Assessing the caloric significance of episodes of human cannibalism in the Palaeolithic".
