Primal Primer 17 (Nutrition)
Cooking with fire played crucial role in hominid evolution; thrusting each past species of human into the Homo sapien of today. Fire offered several major advantages shaping biology, behavior, and social structure. Arguably being one of the most ancient of technologies, the flame indelibly changed our capacity to fuel, explore darkness, and stay warm in frozen lands far from the veldts of Africa. Fire was the steward of life.
Ancient Technology Of Fire
Improved Nutrition & Energy – Cooking increases the digestibility of food, allowing hominids to extract more nutrients and calories from fuel. Unlocking caloric efficiency (cooked foods require less energy to digest) protein access, and reduction in toxins (cooking neutralizes certain plant toxins), making a wide variety of flora nutrient accretive and safe to consume.
Brain Development – Increasing caloric intake from cooked food is pivotal for the evolution of larger brains. Cooking provides our metabolically expensive brain with necessary surplus of energy supporting continued development and evolution.
Digestive Effort Reduction – Cooking softens and breaks down complex carbohydrate and protein, making it easier to chew and digest. Direct evolutionary consequences include smaller jaw and teeth (freeing up energy for brains, rather than being spent on maintaining large chewing muscles), and shorter digestive tracts (shorter intestines conserve energy that is redirected towards other functions of brain development).
Community Of Fire – Gathering around the flame and cooking the days hunt and gather has been a practice of the ages, solidifying safety and community while fostering deep relationships of any fellowship.
Fire Was Stolen From The Gods
Cook flora & fauna with fire. Healthy fueling is challenging when relying on pre-prepared processed meals. Removing third party engineered contaminants alleviates risks of unintentional inflammation from industrial lubricants (seed & vegetable oils), preservatives, and other man made chemicals. Keep it basic: plants and animals adorned with simple seasonings. Skills of a cast iron skillet and outdoor wood fired cooking are time honored skills; impressing fellow caveman and cave-mates. Cook your kill, and kill it with your cooking.
~Cave Implementation~
Seasoned cast iron skillet, ceramic cookware, pellet grill (Traeger), or barbecue (Webber or Green Egg) makes flame cooking economical, easy, and tasty. Never use tephlon imbibed forever chemical disaster pans. Let cast iron or grill grates unique and individual flavor be the signature of your culinary prowess. Low & slow to heat approach always performs; keep ingredients simple and natural: salt, pepper, and herbs. Be advised that most blended seasonings usually contain unsavory additions (chemicals & inflammatory oils). Use clean oil: extra virgin olive, coconut, and avocado. Grass fed butters and animal tallows are also excellent options as non stick and flavoring ingredients.
Cook Your Kill, & Kill It With Your Cooking.
