THE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA DIET HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE HEALTH OF HUMANS AND OTHER HOMINOIDS

We studied the western lowland gorilla diet as a possible model for hu man nutrient requirements with implications for colonic function. Gori llas in the Central African Republic were identified as consuming over 200 species and varieties of plants and 100 species and varieties of fruit. Thirty-one of the most commonly consumed foods were collected a nd dried locally before shipping for macronutrient and fiber analysis. The mean macronutrient concentrations were (mean +/- SD, g/100 g dry basis) fat 0.5 +/- 0.4, protein 11.8 +/- 8.2, available carbohydrate 7 .7 +/- 6.3 and dietary fiber 74.0 +/- 12.9. Assuming that the macronut rient profile of these foods was reflective of the whole gorilla diet and that dietary fiber contributed 6.28 kJ/g (1.5 kcal/g), then the go rilla diet would provide 810 kJ (194 kcal) metabolizable energy per 10 0 g dry weight. The macronutrient profile of this diet would be as fol lows: 2.5% energy as fat, 24.3% protein, 15.8% available carbohydrate, with potentially 57.3% of metabolizable energy from short-chain fatty acids (SOFA) derived from colonic fermentation of fiber. Gorillas wou ld therefore obtain considerable energy through fiber fermentation. We suggest that humans also evolved consuming similar high foliage, high fiber diets, which were low in fat and dietary cholesterol. The macro nutrient and fiber profile of the gorilla diet is one in which the col on is likely to play a major role in overall nutrition. Both the nutri ent and fiber components of such a diet and the functional capacity of the hominoid colon may have important dietary implications for contem porary human health.