Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains

Re:Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains by EnderViaAnsible on Sunday April 07, 2019 @08:40PM (#19600996)

The translation of deficiencies into food cravings has always fascinated me. People with pica, for example, often compulsively eat non-foods that are in fact related to a deficiency they have. Anemics sometimes crave dirt (which does contain iron).

But how does it "know"?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains by wccrawford on Monday April 08, 2019 @06:32AM (#19603869)

I don't think your body "knows". I think your mind is very, very good at pattern recognition. It knows that when certain signals exist, a certain condition exists, and when certain foods are eaten, those signals are lessened. It doesn't know what foods will do what until after you've eaten them, possibly multiple times.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains by s_y_n_t_a_x on Sunday April 07, 2019 @08:55PM (#19601062)

Probably a memory of the taste and the vitamins that follow it.

My wife craves mints when she's low on iron.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains by samstave on Monday April 08, 2019 @12:37AM (#19602145)

But do mints provide any iron?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains by bjoli on Monday April 08, 2019 @03:02AM (#19602810)

If they are fortified they do, or better up if they are some kind of mint-flavoured supplements.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Fat, Not Meat, May Have Led to Bigger Hominin Brains by s_y_n_t_a_x on Monday April 08, 2019 @05:42PM (#19609332)

Depends on which kinds. Spearmint can contain up to 15% of your DV of iron.

[ Parent | on HN ]