Re: [Re: [Suchomimus tenerensis]]

[Christopher Srnka <theclaw@sprintmail.com>]

Haist, Brandon wrote:

>
>
> I know that this is old, but Grisslies which eat whatever they can find, eat
> as much salmon as they can, since they are always hungry.  When I was at
> Sequoia National Park in California the rangers made it a big point to keep
> food away from the Black Bears.  They said that one Milky Way Candy Bar Held
> more sugar and calories than what a Black Bear gets eating in a meadow for
> an entire day!  I guess it is not what you eat necessarily, but how much.
> ~Brandon Haist

  Actually, it IS what you eat to a large degree, as your anecdote about the
grizzlies eating candy bars demonstrates. Generally speaking, animals do not
seek out or are accustomed to refined sugars, high glycemic foods, and other
sources of high-carbohydrate foods. Protein and fats are essentials; refined
sugars such as those in candy bars are definitely not. I don't know how insulin
and blood sugar levels function in other species, but in humans excessive
carbohydrate consumption can lead to all sorts of bad conditions, including
hypoglycemia, type II diabetes, and carbohydrate addiction. Recently, I was able
to change my eating habits to restrict carbohydrate consumption and increase my
overall food intake (proteins and fats) while effectively lowering my
cholesterol, blood pressure, and bodyfat percentage, while increasing energy
levels and alertness. If insulin and glycogen work in the same ways in other
vertebrates, it would explain why predators generally take in more protein and
fat in their diets than herbivores do, proportionately; increased energy and
alertness are essential for effective predation.
Just a thought, and probably somewhat off topic, sorry...
-Chris Srnka