Tag: Kuru

While a typical modern human body contains over 125,000 calories, a 2017 study concluded that, from a purely nutritional perspective, humans are surprisingly inefficient as a food source compared to other prehistoric prey. The question, is the human body nutritious, therefore, leads to a much more complex and dangerous answer rooted in biology, risk, and ethics.

The human brain, weighing around 3 pounds, consists of about 60% fat, with the rest being protein, water, and carbohydrates. Although rich in certain nutrients, the critical question, "is the human brain nutritious?", is completely overshadowed by severe, life-threatening health risks, particularly from infectious misfolded proteins.

Over 200 people died from mad cow disease, a prion-based illness similar to one caused by human cannibalism. The literal question, “is it healthy to eat lover,” reveals serious biological and psychological concerns far removed from its common, harmless phrasing.

Over 2,700 people from the Fore tribe in Papua New Guinea died from a fatal neurological disease called Kuru, which was transmitted through ritualistic consumption of human brains. This grim history illustrates the devastating risk inherent in eating primate brain tissue, raising the critical question: are monkey brains good for you? The short, definitive answer, supported by medical science, is no.