Eat yerself fitter!

We have several new reference books here in the Editorial department at Allrecipes, and today I have been comparing entries on cannibalism. The Oxford Companion to Food merely acknowledges the topic, noting that in most cases human flesh was consumed in connection with various rituals, but that "there have, however, been cultures in which human flesh was consumed, straightforwardly, as food...." Disturbing and intriguing! The topic is treated more expansively by The Cambridge World History of Food in the section entitled "Food and drink around the world." The subject of cannibalism arises repeatedly during this broad study of various cultures, and is discussed in fair detail. For example, the debate as to whether the practice in Aztec culture originated as a result of protein deficiency is touched on, and it is noted that the Maoris practiced cannibalism as "a form of revenge...desecrating the victims beyond the grave by turning them into cooked food." I could not help but notice that, according to this study, only non-European cultures seem to have indulged in human flesh; however, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto points out in his Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food that "human bones snapped for marrow seem to lie under the stones of every civilization." Fenandez-Armesto's account of cannibalism is the most expansive, taking up nearly nine pages at the beginning of his inquiry into the role of food as "rite and magic." He notes the irrefutable evidence of cannibalism around the world, cites the eye-witness accounts of numerous European explorers, and also describes the role of cannibalism as propaganda tool: "...it was an extremely useful attribute to ascribe to one's enemies; for cannibalism...was classed as an offense against natural law.... With impunity, Europeans could attack them, enslave them, forcibly subject them and sequester property from them." He touches on Western society's occasional recognition of cannibalism as a necessity in cases of extreme desperation, as might occur after disasters at sea or air crashes. Finally, he addresses the problem of the meaning and place of cannibalism in our society, ending with the amusing statement: "Strangely, cannibals turn out to have a lot in common with vegans." Altogether, his treatment of the topic is the most lively and engaging presented in any of our new books. Not a pleasant subject, but one worth at least minimal mention in studies of human eating. Hopefully, we won't be receiving any questions on the topic from site users!