Mirjam The claim that humans are carnivores is everywhere—from YouTube shorts to Twitter debates. You’ve probably heard things like:
“Our stomach acid is as low as 1.5—basically a vulture. We’re built to digest raw meat!”
It’s loud. It’s confident.
And it’s… scientifically lazy.
Let’s break this one down using actual facts about human digestion, stomach acid pH, fiber, and the gut microbiome—not TikTok testosterone monologues.
The Fasted Stomach Acid Myth
Yes, human stomach pH can drop to 1.5—in a fasted state. But let’s talk about real life, not lab conditions.
After eating a normal meal (especially a plant-based one), our stomach acid often rises to pH 4–6. That’s far less acidic than the post-meal pH of true carnivores like lions, wolves, or even domestic cats and dogs. Their stomach acid stays around 0.8 to 1.2—specifically designed to break down rotting animal tissue loaded with bacteria and parasites.
Ours? Not so much.
We can manage a few microbes from produce, but raw flesh? Our bodies are not equipped for that level of pathogenic load. That’s why people get food poisoning from undercooked chicken—not celery.
Stomach acidity isn’t a green light for a meat-heavy diet. It’s a protective mechanism—and ours is not carnivore-grade.
The Fiber and Gut Bacteria “Problem”
Here’s another popular line:
“Humans can’t digest fiber. We don’t have the enzymes. Fiber is useless.”
No enzymes? Sure.
Useless? Absolutely not.
The human gut microbiome—a thriving, complex community of trillions of bacteria—feeds on fiber. Just because we don’t digest it doesn’t mean it isn’t essential. Fiber is fermented in the large intestine, and in return, our microbes give us short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
These SCFAs are:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-obesity
- Immune-modulating
- Cardio-protective
- Crucial for brain-gut communication
In other words: fiber is the fuel for our microbiome. And our microbiome, in turn, supports nearly every system in our body.
What Science Actually Says
Human ancestors weren’t slamming steaks on the fire every night. The bulk of their diet? Plants. Tubers. Leaves. Wild fruits. Some estimates say they consumed over 100 grams of fiber per day.
Today, the average Western eater barely scrapes together 15 grams. And with it? A sky-high risk of lifestyle diseases carnivores like to ignore: heart disease, obesity, cancer, and type 2 diabetes—all mitigated by high-fiber, plant-rich diets.
Fiber Isn’t Digested—It’s Transformed
Saying “we can’t digest fiber so we shouldn’t eat it” is like saying “I can’t photosynthesize so I shouldn’t go outside.”
Fiber isn’t there to be digested—it’s there to be transformed into the nutrients your gut actually needs to thrive.
And your gut knows what to do with it—if you stop starving it.
Why Real Carnivores Have Stronger Stomachs (Literally)
Are Humans Carnivores? Let’s be blunt: real carnivores eat raw, rotting meat. That requires extreme stomach acidity to survive without dying from sepsis.
Their digestive systems are short and acidic. Ours? Long, winding, and microbiome-rich—perfectly designed to extract nutrients from plant matter and ferment fiber.
We’re not chasing gazelles.
We’re closer to chimpanzees picking fruits, digging for roots, and snacking on greens.
Bottom Line: The Myth Doesn’t Digest Well
You don’t need lion-grade stomach acid.
You need fiber.
You need microbes.
You need a body that runs on plants, not pathogens.
And the next time someone tells you humans are carnivores, just smile—and ask them what their colon thinks about that.
