The Lewis and Clark expedition nearly ended in catastrophe because they didn't understand fat requirements.
— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) November 8, 2025
September 1805: They're crossing the Bitterroot Mountains, living on lean elk and deer. No fat available. They're eating pounds of meat daily.
They're also dying.… pic.twitter.com/KzV0KJpMD7
The Lewis and Clark expedition nearly ended in catastrophe because they didn't understand fat requirements. September 1805: They're crossing the Bitterroot Mountains, living on lean elk and deer. No fat available. They're eating pounds of meat daily. They're also dying. Journals describe: "extreme weakness, dizziness, diarrhea despite full stomachs." Then they meet the Nez Perce tribe, who immediately feed them salmon and camas root mixed with salmon oil. Recovery is rapid. Almost immediate. It wasn't starvation. It was fat deficiency. Their bodies were cannibalising themselves despite eating constantly. The expedition continued only because indigenous people understood something Lewis and Clark didn't.
