Category: Paleolithic era

Evidence suggests that early hominins, potentially *Homo erectus*, were using controlled fire to cook food as early as 1 million years ago, with strong evidence from approximately 780,000 years ago. This revolutionary development profoundly impacted not only the diet of Paleolithic people but also their social structure and evolution.

Contrary to the popular image of our ancestors as ravenous meat-eaters, archeological findings have shown that the diet of people 100 thousand years ago was far more diverse and varied by region. This period, during the Middle Paleolithic, saw early modern humans and Neanderthals foraging and hunting opportunistically for what was available in their local environments.

Recent archaeological findings have challenged the long-held belief that early humans subsisted on a primarily meat-based diet. The real answer to how did cavemen get protein is more complex, involving a diverse and opportunistic range of animal, plant, and insect sources dictated by geography and season.

Archaeological findings from Neanderthal dental calculus show that prehistoric humans consumed a variety of plants, including seeds, legumes, and date palms. So, what was the typical breakfast for a cave person? Their first meal wasn't a set routine but a chance-based affair governed by what food was immediately available from hunting or foraging.