Chapter 1: Quest for Raw-Foodists

"Catching Fire" begins by exploring whether humans can thrive on a raw diet, challenging the conventional assumption that, as animals, humans should naturally succeed on uncooked food since many foods are edible raw.

Common Logic and Anecdotal Evidence

The chapter opens with the idea that humans, like animals, should manage well on raw food. It cites Marco Polo’s account of Mongol warriors supposedly subsisting on raw horse blood for long periods, suggesting cooking might be a luxury rather than a necessity.

The Evo Diet and Modern Raw-Foodists

The narrative shifts to the Evo Diet experiment, hinting at a deeper critique of raw diets. It also describes contemporary raw-foodists who follow strict unprepared diets, rejecting even a chopped salad, and mimic chimpanzees by eating one food type per meal. One raw-foodist’s diet includes raw frozen buffalo steaks and marrow.

Challenges of Raw Diets in the Wild

The chapter examines the challenges of raw diets in the wild, referencing the Siriono hunter-gatherers. Forced to eat raw wild plants, they became emaciated despite their forest expertise and available game (which they avoided eating raw due to taboo). This implies raw diets may not provide sufficient energy, even for skilled foragers. It contrasts this with Valero, a woman who survived on raw bananas—an abundant, high-calorie domesticated fruit—under exceptional conditions.

Cooking’s Nutritional Edge

Chapter 1 lays the groundwork for the book’s core argument: cooking might offer significant nutritional advantages. This theme will be expanded in later chapters, especially Chapter 3 on the energy theory of cooking. It notes that hunter-gatherers like the Inuit typically relied on a cooked evening meal as their primary sustenance.