Tag: Omnivory

According to National Geographic, humans are a classic example of an omnivore, consuming both plants and animals to meet their dietary needs. The omnivore feeding strategy is a flexible and highly successful dietary approach that has allowed numerous species across the animal kingdom to thrive in diverse environments by capitalizing on a wide range of food sources.

Over 95% of the world's calories today come from just 30 plant and animal species, yet humans possess an extraordinary ability to consume and process a vast range of foodstuffs. This remarkable dietary flexibility, which helps explain why humans are able to eat so many different foods, is not a simple choice but the culmination of millions of years of evolutionary adaptations—both biological and cultural. This article explores the deep-seated reasons behind our unique omnivorous nature.