Herbivores vs. Carnivores

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The digestive systems of herbivores and carnivores tells a lot about what each are meant to eat. Humans model carnivore digestion patterns.

Digestive systems of herbivores vs. carnivores

I began researching equine digestion to check a hunch that my elderly pony had an ulcer.  She was biting her sides and seemed uncomfortable.

In learning her non-human digestive system, several points became clear.  

Some creatures are born to be vegetarians, and some are not. Should humans be vegetarians? Looking at differences in digestion may help answer that question.   

Carnivore or Herbivore Differences

The main difference between herbivores and carnivores is clearly what they eat. Carnivores don’t graze. Herbivores don’t eat meat.

What do these differences mean in digestion and dental health?

Digestive differences between hunters and grazers

• Grazers are herbivores. Grazers such as goats, horses or elephants eat 24 hours a day.  They sleep briefly, then move on.  Food is in a constant state of “food in – food out”.  If you’ve spent time around these animals, you’ll know what I mean.
• Herbivore digestion works 24/7: To keep up with the constant food intake, the herbivore drips digestive juices 24/7.  This is fine for wild animals, or those who live free on healthy pasture.  But a captive animal is fed by humans on a human schedule. Often only twice a day.
• Carnivores eat quickly. Carnivores such as lions gorge on their prey and eat quickly. Their digestive system releases a burst of acids and enzymes at this time. 
• Ruminants vs. Non-Ruminants. Herbivores are ruminants with 2 to 4 chambers in the stomach. This allows forage to be stored and fermented over time. Carnivores are not ruminants. They have a single direct digestive system, similar to humans and other omnivores. 
• Examples of ruminant animals. Here’s a list of multi-chambered herbivores. 

Ulcers in captive animals

The rate of stomach acid release varies in carnivores and herbivores.

Carnivore hunters release acids and enzymes quickly to process their prey. 

Herbivores and ruminants release acids and enzymes continuously to ferment and digest forage. Forage consists of grasses, leaves, herbs, fruits, moss, etc. These are carbohydrates rather than protein and harder to digest. 

In horses and other herbivores, stomach acids have nothing to digest in an empty stomach. But the acids continue to release 24/7. This can ulcerate the esophagus, stomach, or “hind-gut”, a unique part of the horse’s large intestine we don’t have.

I treated my pony for ulcers, following my hunch. I fed her multiple times during the day and used feeders at night. Her discomfort improved!

Human digestion- are we carnivores or herbivores?

Humans don’t have extra stomach chambers or other ways to ferment starchy forage.  We generally release acid only when we eat, and then we fast for hours or days.

Our food is high in nutrients and stays in the intestine a long time for absorption. (The digestive part is actually over pretty fast).

Similar to lions, this is how Carnivores and Omnivores eat and digest. Humans are adapted to a Hunter-Gatherer diet.

My 70-minute DVD “The Diet For Human Beings” explains what we are best designed to eat to avoid Insulin Resistance, ulcers, hunger, weight gain and low blood sugar. Stream or download. 

Teeth in herbivores vs. carnivores

• Dental health in herbivores
• Effects of loss of teeth in herbivores and carnivores
• Digestive ulcers due to improper chewing

Humans don’t need large teeth now as cooked food requires little chewing.

We have spears and knives, so don’t need large incisors to kill food or tear it apart.  We lost those big teeth, but our digestive process remain the same.

Both herbivores and carnivores can lose teeth. As long as a carnivore is able to hunt, it can survive fine with fewer teeth.

Herbivores however need good teeth to properly chew forage. They don’t “wolf down” food like lions do. 

Like most herbivores, older horses can lose their teeth to infection or trauma and be unable to eat or digest properly. This can contribute to ulcers as stomach acids flow regardless.