Plants Know They're Being Eaten And Fight Back

(Central Florida Bob ) #1

The article talks about whole, living plants, not like lettuce leaves or “bag o’ salad” greens.

https://modernfarmer.com/2014/10/plants-can-tell-theyre-eaten/

University of Missouri researchers first took a precise audio recording of the vibrations a caterpillar makes as it eats the thale cress leaves, with the working theory that plants could feel or hear the vibrations in some way.

The researchers controlled the experiment by coming up with other vibrations that simulated other natural vibrations like wind noise that the plant might encounter.

The results? According to Modern Farmer, the thale cress produces mustard oils that are mildly toxic when eaten and sends them throughout its leaves to try to keep the predators away. The research also revealed that when the plants felt or heard “munching vibrations” from the caterpillar, they sent out extra mustard oils. But the plants didn’t react when other vibrations were present.

(TJ Borden) #2

What are vegans going to eat when they realize eating plants is murder?

(Central Florida Bob ) #3

Breatharianism?

(Candy Lind) #4

:rofl:
Dr. Eade is right on the money.

(Karen) #5

A salad bar…Oh, the humanity!!!

K

(Dan Dan) #6

THE FOOD CHAIN: FUNNY COMEDY ABOUT FOOD AND DIET

(Jan) #7

As a Ph.D dropout in cell biology, I’ve always been fascinated by the lack of much difference between animals and plants at the cellular level. Trying to explain why I’m totally fine eating meat to my vegetarian friends has resulted in some interesting discussions - sometimes even pretty civil! Just because something has no fur or eyeballs doesn’t mean it’s not alive. We live on other life. Something dies to keep us alive.
Cool fact: switch out the central copper in chlorophyll with an iron, and adjust a couple side chains, and you’ve got heme. (4 themes make up a hemoglobin molecule).
We ain’t that far from being plants ourselves!

(Central Florida Bob ) #8

I thought that was magnesium, not copper. Well, not that it’s really important. The important point is what you said about “Something dies to keep us alive” I don’t see why it’s more ethical to kill something with leaves, or grind up and eat its babies (grains) than something with a face.

I think vegans seem to be out of touch with that reality of nature; softened by an easy, good life. There’s something to be said for the joke, “vegetarian is an old native word for ‘bad hunter’”. Most creatures don’t live calm peaceful lives, dying in bed with their loved ones around. Most living things are eaten alive or killed and eaten.

#9

dunno, possibly they’ll eventually find keto…
:+1:

(Jack Brien) #10

I watched Day of the Triffids recently. Blast from the past that was

(Jan) #11

Doh…Mg, not Cu…I’ve been mixing glazes (pottery) and couldn’t find my copper carbonate…must have copper on my mind! Thanks for the correction!

#12

Bob,
Biochemically, I thought some of the lectins and other, bitter tasting to us, chemicals plants make as protection from eating are actually healthy for human metabolism. in small dose challenges the plant chemicals set off responses in human hormone systems that end up resulting in health benefits. I think functional medicine practitioners call herbal remedies that challenge the human body to adapt a healthier response; adaptagens?

The bitter plant chemical that I can think of that is used daily is coffee. It is bitter because the plant was trying to prevent its fruit being eaten by goats.

(Rob) #13

From my limited reading in this area, Adaptogens (pseudo-science word for standard homeopathic herbs etc.) are supposed to work to reduce stress-induced cortisol and its impacts on the body though “non-specific improvements to the body’s ‘stress resistance’” whatever that really means. I can’t tell if its supposed to be a reaction to the bitterness or other unpalatable characteristic that improves stress resistance. It is the usual suspects (various ginsengs, other roots, some mushrooms, and some current trendy ones like turmeric, etc.). From what I can tell, the science is extremely marginal for any of these (e.g. relatively large doses in mice have small impacts, loose associations, etc.) and seem orders of magnitude less important than proper metabolic control.

That said, I don’t want to be the guy who buys into keto and then dismisses other ‘fringe’ science a priori. However, unlike for keto, the science (which has largely been developed hoping for a positive outcome) is pretty unconvincing. All my efforts to use these on family members sorely in need of the claimed benefits have been singularly uninspiring (and often costly).

#14

“Adaptogens are a broad family of herbs and plant medicines that have been used for thousands of years throughout the world. To be labeled an adaptogen, a plant medicine must fulfill at least three specific criteria:
They are generally safe (for just about everyone).
They help you handle stress.
They work to balance your hormones.
How adaptogens work
Stress and hormone pathways are connected – your body’s stress system, the sympathetic nervous system, controls hundreds of pathways that are responsible for inflammation, and when inflammation gets out of control, this can lead to hormonal problems like adrenal fatigue, low sex drive, and thyroid dysfunction.
Adaptogens help to regulate the sympathetic nervous system so everything downstream works better.”

hmm, maybe I. complicated my answer by mentioning adaptogens. You’re right @Capnbob Rob. Adaptogens don’t clarify the point I wanted to highlight about the human body responding and adapting to small amount of plant biochemicals, possibly generated by the plant as a defense response, that result in benefits to human health when ingested.

i hope to find the resource where I heard it…

(Sheri Knauer) #15

So true. I listened to a podcast a few weeks ago and the guest was an avid hunter. What he was saying made so much sense. The animals he shot when he hunted were actually the lucky ones. Most animals die a slow, painful death due to either sickness, injury, or starvation. Those that are killed by hunters get a quick, sometimes painless death. I personally could never shoot an animal (unless of course that was my only means of getting food) but have never had a problem with responsible hunters who take only what they need for food. I do, however, have an issue with those that hunt illegally and/or for “trophy” purposes only.

(Dan Dan) #16

Over population is a major cause of this and is why hunting is necessary :thinking:

(Central Florida Bob ) #17

I listen to Dr. Cole and Jimmy regularly and am familiar with the concept of adaptogens.

For a more “mainstream” angle, look up cruciferous vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts. Those are a source of compounds that are said to be good for us, and they contain toxins
https://csn.cancer.org/node/232205

Some people say not to eat them at all, some say it’s OK cooked but not raw, that they cause organ damage

Lastly, soy messes with the thyroid hormone cycle, a very important one.

Personally, I eat cooked broccoli and cauliflower at least a couple of times a week, and some of the other cruciferous vegetables now and then. Since my wife has hypothyroidism and takes Synthroid, that added to the reasons to avoid soy oil.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #18

I suspect that you can justify nearly any murder by saying you’re saving them from a lifetime of decaying health due to metabolic syndrome.

I don’t have a problem with hunting. But suggesting you are saving the animal from a life of anything is silly. Oh, the pain of existence. :wink:

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #19

Well, starvation is a lingering, painful death, as opposed to being shot dead, which is mercifully quick (leaving aside the matter of hunters with poor aim . . .). The Game Commissioner of Pennsylvania made the point, about a decade ago now, that if hunting were not allowed, the state’s deer herd would die of starvation and exposure during the winter. Human hunting has to be allowed, because there isn’t enough animal predation to keep the herd healthy. (It’s alwo worth noting, that when Pennsylvania’s game laws were first passed, around a century ago, the deer herd had been hunted nearly to extinction.)

Also, from the Internet:

“A vegetarian is someone who has never heard a carrot scream.”

“I’m not a vegetarian because I love animals; I’m a vegetarian because I hate plants.”

:smiley:

(Chris) #20

They’ll stare into the sun. At least we can hope they just hold that pose a bit.