I knew we humans are related to chimpanzees, but I didn’t know we had a connection to cows. Yes, you may say, we drink milk and so do cows, but that is not correct. Only calves drink milk. Cows drink water. But seriously…
A new study published this month in Science found that we humans have bacteria in our intestines, part of our beneficial gut microbiome, that are able to digest cellulose. It was long held that humans could not digest cellulose like cows and sheep. As it turns out the human digestive system has bacteria that can break down cellulose after all and these bacteria are related to the microbes in cows. Researchers theorize that when cows were domesticated, strains were introduced into the human body and evolved for our specific human foods including high fiber foods like corn, rice and wheat.
Interestingly, the research shows that prevalence of these strains has changed over time. We have fewer strains and fewer bacteria of these strains in our guts, especially humans living in developed countries eating western diets, which typically are low in fiber and cellulose.
We know that a healthy, balanced gut microbiome provides essential functions to our health including enabling nutrient absorption, vitamin synthesis, regulation of the immune system, interacting with the nervous system, brain function, and mental health.
The beneficial bacteria we don’t feed can’t thrive, so I guess we should eat a varied diet with lots of whole foods and grains, fruit and vegetables and leave the processed foods for the occasional treat. But don’t go out and start munching on your lawn, continue to mow the lawn or hire a local goat to keep your yard in shape.
If you like to read more, the summary article (easier to access and understand) on the topic is available at ScienceAlert.