In the event of a natural disaster, or some other event that left you stranded without access to food.

 

Is there any one thing in the natural environment that you could live on for months on end?

 

Preying Mantuses? Grasshoppers? Sap/Zap from a tree?

 

Would it be logistically possible? ie: would you be able to find enough of the particular source of nutrition?

Where do you think people used to get there food from, they didn't have walmart in the 14th century.

I don't imagine there's any single natural food that would satisfy every nutritional need a human being has. You could survive a few months on any number of things (vitamin deficiency isn't going to kill you for a long time), and indefinitely on a moderately diverse diet. Once upon a time this was how everyone lived, and some still do. And keep in mind that domesticated plants and animals (i.e., pretty much everything you eat) are just wild plants and animals that humans deliberately raised for their own use, and usually bred to make more useful.

there isn't anything in particular that can support you indefinitely. you need a diverse intake.

 

if you were stranded somewhere there's like a variety of edible plants and animals and you shouldn't stick to any one thing. for instance, eating only rabbit you'd die within a month or two from malnutrition. similarly if you consumed a single type of vegetable or fruit.

 

variety is the key.

Actually, it's very possible to get everything you need from a single food source - I feed this to most of my pets.

 

Whole, raw mammals.

 

Basically, if the animal was healthy and had decent levels of nutrition, if you avoid cooking it (which destroys some vitamins), eat it right after death, and eat the whole thing (eyes, organs, skin, bones, everything), you'll get what you need.

 

You'll probably also get about 6 different parasites and diseases, but at least you'll be completely nourished.

Actually, it's very possible to get everything you need from a single food source - I feed this to most of my pets.

 

Whole, raw mammals.

 

Basically, if the animal was healthy and had decent levels of nutrition, if you avoid cooking it (which destroys some vitamins), eat it right after death, and eat the whole thing (eyes, organs, skin, bones, everything), you'll get what you need.

 

You'll probably also get about 6 different parasites and diseases, but at least you'll be completely nourished.

 

Really? I know lots of animals can survive on just one food source, I just thought humans weren't one of them. Can we really digest all that? Wouldn't there be problems with trying to go pure carnivore?

Oh, we'd probably have assloads of digestive and kidney problems due to the high protein levels and low fiber, as you're correct that we're not built to be carnivores, but at least it would stave of malnutrition in a survival situation.

In the event of a natural disaster locate a sweet potato field and a chicken coop. Sweet potato's are the most nutritious culinary vegetation in terms of vitamins, minerals, fiber and carbohydrates. Egg whites contain all the amino acids necessary for protein synthesis and the yolks are a good source of lipids.

Actually, it's very possible to get everything you need from a single food source - I feed this to most of my pets.

 

Whole, raw mammals.

 

Basically, if the animal was healthy and had decent levels of nutrition, if you avoid cooking it (which destroys some vitamins), eat it right after death, and eat the whole thing (eyes, organs, skin, bones, everything), you'll get what you need.

 

You'll probably also get about 6 different parasites and diseases, but at least you'll be completely nourished.

 

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't supply enough folic acid or vitamin C.

I haver heard you can live for quite a while on just beans on (buttered) toast.

Actually, it's very possible to get everything you need from a single food source - I feed this to most of my pets.

 

Whole, raw mammals.

 

Basically, if the animal was healthy and had decent levels of nutrition, if you avoid cooking it (which destroys some vitamins), eat it right after death, and eat the whole thing (eyes, organs, skin, bones, everything), you'll get what you need.

 

You'll probably also get about 6 different parasites and diseases, but at least you'll be completely nourished.

 

Just make sure they have fat on them.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation

 

But by any means cook them. Avoiding parasites and diseases is usually more critical than a lack of vitamins.

I read a story a long time ago about a shipwrecked crew who lived on potatoes for over a year. I guess it wasn't completely potatoes (I'm sure the hungry crew caught a few fish too), but I would think you could go a long time on just potatoes; probably even longer on sweet potatos.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato#Nutrition

 

Humans can subsist healthily on a diet of potatoes and milk; the latter supplies Vitamin A and Vitamin D.

 

Since the sweet potato will provide Vitamin A and Vitamin D can be had from sunshine, maybe this would be good enough? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato#Nutrition_and_health_benefits

You wouldn't be able to get much from the bugs you had listed. We don't have the enzyme to break chitin or cellulose! So maybe a little protein?

In the event of a natural disaster, or some other event that left you stranded without access to food.

 

Is there any one thing in the natural environment that you could live on for months on end?

 

Preying Mantuses? Grasshoppers? Sap/Zap from a tree?

 

Would it be logistically possible? ie: would you be able to find enough of the particular source of nutrition?

 

Would finding a bunch of dairy cows work?

Or a dairy cow?

 

You could tap some blood from them (occasionally) as well.

lets say you have atleast some access to food, because it's difficult to plan for an all encompassing catastrophy, there are certain combinations of food that are considered complete or that provide all 20 amino acids (essential and nonessential). for example, eating rice, beans, and corn together provides all 20. there are others but I dont know them off the top of my head... i think another is rice, seaweed, fish (sushi). but rice, beans, and corn could be kept in pretty large quantities without spoil pretty easy.