He veterinarian español Juan Pascual He once again put his name into a sensitive discussion with a phrase that made noise from the first minute: he maintained that, sin carnethe human brain would not have developed in the same way.
The discussion was not just about the impact of the headline. What started as a strong statement from a veterinarian ended up opening a broader debate about the role of meat in human nutrition and about what specific nutrients it provides to the brain and other functions of the body.
At this point one of the key points of the note appears: beyond the controversy, meat continues to be a known source of complete proteins, iron, zinc and vitamin B12, nutrients that fulfill specific functions in the nervous system, blood, muscles and growth. AND
“Without meat, the human brain would not be the same”: what veterinarian Juan Pascual said
He veterinarian Juan Pascual He defended the idea that meat had an important role in human evolution and proposed that without this consumption the brain would not be the same.
The phrase was spread at the beginning of March in an interview published by The Voice of Galiciawhere the vet insisted on the biological value of foods of animal origin within the history of the species.
A study published in Science and cited by Reuters in January 2025 indicated that Australopithecus ate little or no meat, although the research itself clarified that Meat consumption was probably relevant in later stages of human evolution.
On the other hand, what does have a broader consensus is that certain nutrients present in meat, fish, eggs and other foods of animal origin were and continue to be relevant to cover key physiological functions, especially when talking about nervous system, tissue oxygenation and muscle maintenance.
What meat contributes to the human brain
One of the nutrients most cited in this discussion is the vitamina B12. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements points out that this vitamin is necessary for the development, myelination and function of the central nervous system, in addition to intervening in the formation of red blood cells and in DNA synthesis.
Like the B12 Found naturally primarily in foods of animal origin, it often takes center stage when discussing the role of meat and other animal products in neurological health.
Added to that is the hierro, another strong point of the debate. According to the NIH, Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.
It is also part of myoglobin, which helps deliver oxygen to muscles and supports muscle metabolism and healthy connective tissue.
Another relevant nutrient is zinc. The NIH explains that it participates in hundreds of enzymes and plays roles in immunity, DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, healing, and cell division.
Added to these contributions is protein of high biological value, another of the arguments that usually appears when the place of meat in the human diet is discussed.
