Table of contents:
- Can humans eat grass?
- What happens when humans eat grass?
- Tips for consuming grass in an emergency situation
Homo sapiens, that is, the human species, can be classified as omnivores or eaters of all kinds. Humans can eat plants and meat. However, if humans could consume all kinds of food sources, shouldn't there be no hunger epidemic in the world? Why don't people who are starving, stranded on uninhabited islands, or lost in the wilderness not just eat grass to survive?
So, to find out what will happen if you are determined to eat grass in your yard or in the fields, keep on reading the full explanation below.
Can humans eat grass?
Basically, grass is not a type of poisonous plant that can cause death. So in theory it's possible for humans to eat grass. Then why doesn't anyone want to cook grass into vegetables for consumption?
It seems that even though grass is not poisonous, the human digestive system is not designed to break down and absorb the grass in the body. In contrast to herbivorous animals such as cows and goats, humans do not have special types of cellulase and microbial enzymes that are able to absorb grass and turn it into nutritious food.
This is what distinguishes ordinary grass from nutrient-rich vegetables such as lettuce, papaya, spinach, and kale. In other words, it was useless for humans to eat grass. This is why even though humans may eat grass, it has not been done since prehistoric times.
What happens when humans eat grass?
In some cases, there are times when humans end up being forced to eat grass because there is no other source of food available. For example, when Ireland experienced a famine in the 1840s. Also when the eastern African continent, to be exact, countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia experienced a drought in 2011.
They were so desperate that people chose to eat grass just to fill their stomachs and survive. Unfortunately, humans can't digest grass. As a result, people who eat grass experience serious indigestion and malnutrition. So even though humans are hit by hunger, grass is not the right solution.
Tips for consuming grass in an emergency situation
Even though humans can't eat grass, that doesn't mean that in an emergency situation you can't take advantage of this plant, which can be found almost anywhere. For example, when you climb a mountain and get lost without a supply of water or food.
You can chew the grass until it's crushed in your mouth, but don't swallow it! You have to remove the chewed grass. That way, you can sip the water contained in the grass. This is useful for preventing dehydration without having to risk digesting grass.
To meet your nutritional needs such as protein, minerals, and fat, you should instead eat forest insects. Insects that can be eaten and increase your nutritional intake include beetles, grasshoppers, dragonflies, and caterpillars.
