A burger and fries may be the quintessential North American meal but it can also be viewed as the perfect example of humanity’s increasingly varied diet, according to researchers who have conducted a unique study of the plants used around the world for food.
In the first-ever study of the “phylogenetic distribution” of the human diet, U of C plant evolutionary ecologist Jana Vamosi…found that humans likely stand alone when it comes to the spectrum of species we consume. Our ability to process food combined with an insatiable hunger for new tastes and international trade systems has also led to food becoming the ultimate product of a globalized society.
“Generally speaking, we eat very broadly from the tree of life,” Vamosi said. “Others have looked at the sheer number of plant species we consume but nobody has ever examined whether the plants we eat are clustered in certain branches. It turns out that they are not.”
As a case study, the scientists analyzed the ingredients of a simple fast food meal – a McDonald’s Big Mac, French fries and a cup of coffee – to illustrate how the average human diet in developed nations is more diverse than ever before. From potatoes that were first domesticated in South America to mustard that was developed in India, onions and wheat that originated in the Middle East and coffee from Ethiopia, they found the meal contained approximately 20 different species and ingredients that originated around the world. This leads to the conclusion that “a Big Mac is an apt symbol of globalization.”.
We are the ultimate omnivores.
The breadth and distribution of animal protein we consume is common knowledge. Turns out plant life doesn’t stand a chance, either.
If you’re eating a Big Mac and fries, you should be drinking soda. Coffee?
If you order a quarter pounder with no cheese, they’ll generally have to make it fresh.
Didn’t you guys post a few months back that the number of plants in the US food supply is shrinking?
At least animals get to choose what they eat.
Hmmm, “Non Dairy Whitener”, what’s in that?
Do I want to know?
McDonald’s “McReal Deal” Available now!
http://tinyurl.com/2cpck4
Cheers
Uh…ok…
http://tinyurl.com/ytb6bh
Cheers
#7–Tihz===what the Ho is that? I’m thinking very fat dogs hung on hooks–but its so gruesome it looks fake==but I’m not a fat dogs on hooks expert. That can’t be normal?
#8 bobbo – Those sir are dried, gutted and flattened dogs! They are like a “dog Frisbee”.
Dried flattened animals looking like old road kill is very popular in China. I see this all the time in Chinese supermarkets in Shanghai – ducks, chickens, piglets you name it and the most revolting thing flattened lizards soaking in a brown liquor which is meant to be good for you! These are also the people who claim McDonald’s is bad for you.
I love China – its a laugh a minute! 😆
In Shanghai dogs aren’t so popular but up north, its Doggy heaven. Some restaurants have kennels so you can choose your own pooch – really cruel – “C’mon boy want to get out of there? Yes you do, yes you do” SICK! I did go to one dog restaurant (no kennels) and asked if they have any Lhasa Apsos on the menu as my Mom had one when I was growing up, and I hated that dog!
South of Shanghai its cats and anything that can be killed can be eaten. Won’t find any road kill on the highways in China…at least not for long.
Another popular delicacy is bean curd that smells just like freshly made SHIT. Years ago I was at a market and I thought I stepped in some dog shit – it was the bean curd!
Pig intestines lightly rinsed so as not to remove too much of the natural smell is also popular. Gee why rinse them at all – natural sausages!
In the photo hanging on the far right there are some long things – could be bull penises also very popular in China. In fact there are restaurants in which the meat is only penises – bull, sheep, dog…you name it, if it has a dick its on the menu. I have been to some restaurants where they specialize in dicks but I have this “gay feeling” to overcome first before I try it.
I’ll bring my camera to a Chinese supermarket and try to take some photos (no cameras allowed) and post them to my flickr account.
I’ll also upload some more random photos of Shanghai. Could be very interesting as these would not be mainstream photos. 😉
Cheers
Mickie D’s! I stopped eating there 30 years ago after working in one. Funny how often that’s the case. I remember a blob of the ‘special sauce’ fell on my Converse, couldn’t get the stain or the smell out.
Be patriotic – eat a philly cheese steak!
Bobbo – I’ve uploaded more Shanghai pics you and others might be interested in.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22949366@N07/
Enjoy!
Hope I didn’t put anyone off Chinese food! 🙂
Cheers
#5 – It’s diluted latex paint.
#11–Tihz==I’ve spent time in markets and don’t recall the frisbee pets on display==must have been down the other alley.
I did enjoy what was billed as “beef stew” in Thailand until what looked exactly like a babies hand floated to the surface. I stopped eating what was otherwise excellent soup, and to this day, I’ve made up my mind it was a small monkey?
Once in the Amazon, I saw a kid eaten what I took to be a candied apple which I thought was strange. On getting closer, I saw it was a again a small monkey’s head on a spit. Now, baby stew I can understand, and it was good. But who want to gnaw the skin off a monkey’s skull?
Bobbo – Monkey head suckers. COOL and Monkee hand soup! Alright!! 😆 And you thought the Frisbee dog was odd?
Sure is strange what people consider is food – and I bet they all think McDonald’s is bad for you too! 😆
To see that flattened road kill style animals one only needs to go to any large supermarket. Shanghai which is far more ‘diluted’ than the rest of China and they are easy to see. Lotus centre up the road from me, Carrefore (yes the French chain) all have the ‘road kill’ chickens, ducks and sometimes piglets. As well as various turtles and frogs – which disturbs me as I used to treasure catching them as ‘pets’ when I was a kid.
I plan on going to Carrefore tomorrow and if I can take some photos I will and up load them to Flickr. Did you check what I recently unloaded? I have some pic on a HDD somewhere of roast dog – looks like the poor bastard was burned alive.
bobbo – you sure have been around the block a few times! The Amazon would creep me out – too many movies. Where are the photos?!
Cheers