Early Humans and the Paleo Diet Myth

It turns out the widely held belief that early humans followed a strictly meat-based diet is not entirely accurate. Though the paleo diet has popularized the notion of cavemen munching on mammoth steaks, historical and scientific evidence tells a different story.

Researchers have delved into fossil and genetic evidence that indicates early humans, including various hominins, were not exclusively hypercarnivorous. In fact, they had a more diverse diet long before agriculture took root, heavily relying on plant-based foods.

The common image of our Paleolithic ancestors, often depicted as relentless hunters, has likely been shaped by the visibility of animal remains in archaeological finds. However, the absence of preserved plant materials makes it challenging to get a complete picture of their diet. It seems that plants were a vital part of what they ate, and there are traces of nuts, seeds, tubers, and fruits found alongside remnants of hunting activities.

Researchers from the Australian National University and the University of Toronto Mississauga explored this topic further, challenging the assumption that meat constituted the bulk of early human diets. Their findings noted that early Homo sapiens sought whatever abundant sources of protein were available, including plants like seeds and nuts.

“The focus on hunting in the Paleolithic era is largely influenced by how well animal remains have been preserved in comparison to plants,” the researchers noted in a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Research. They highlighted the difficulties in assessing plant consumption due to the decomposition of plant materials over time.

The evidence collected indicates significant processing of plant-based foods, pointing toward early humans using techniques like grinding to make them more digestible. This suggests a form of cooking that improved taste and reduced toxicity in some plants.

People often struggle to accept that early humans were more like modern flexitarians, rather than strict carnivores. Kent Flannery first advanced this idea back in 1969 with his theory of the Broad Spectrum Revolution. He argued that hunter-gatherers diversified their diets during the Epipaleolithic period, incorporating various plant foods along with animal proteins, paving the way for the agricultural revolution.

Interestingly, humans can’t solely thrive on meat, unlike hypercarnivores that have the ability to metabolize large amounts of protein. The human body has its limits, and excess protein can lead to issues like protein poisoning, resulting in health complications.

Recent studies of ancient human genomes have bolstered the idea that plant consumption was regular among early humans. For instance, the AMY1 gene, which aids in breaking down carbohydrates, started duplicating long before modern humans separated from other hominins. Its presence in both Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes indicates that plant-based diets were an integral part of their nutrition.

With these findings, researchers have put forward a new hypothesis—the Broad Spectrum Species Hypothesis—suggesting that our evolutionary history as omnivores has always included a flexible approach to diets. Rather than being hypercarnivores, early humans and their ancestors relied on a balance of both animal and plant foods, adapting to their environments effectively.

So next time you enjoy that fancy steak, remember: humans have always thrived on a mix of foods, and the idea of living solely on meat might just be a myth.

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