The Pre-Agricultural Story of Carbohydrates
The notion that early humans were strictly meat-eating "cavemen" is a simplistic and largely debunked myth. In reality, the diet of our prehistoric ancestors, including Neanderthals and early modern humans, was diverse and omnivorous, with carbohydrates playing a significant role. Archaeological studies have provided concrete evidence, such as microscopic plant and starch remains found in the dental calculus (plaque) of fossilized hominins, to confirm that wild plants and starchy vegetables were a regular part of their diet. A study of Neanderthal remains from the El Sidrón cave in Spain found evidence of pine nuts, moss, and mushrooms in their diet.
Evidence from South Africa's Klasies River Cave, for example, indicates that anatomically modern humans were roasting and eating plant starches from tubers and rhizomes as far back as 120,000 years ago. The discovery of ancient grinding stones, dated to around 30,000 years ago, also points to the processing of seeds into a flour-like substance by hunter-gatherers, a process once thought to be limited to agricultural societies. This suggests a long-standing knowledge of how to access and prepare plant-based calories.
The Impact of Cooking and Genetics
Two critical developments allowed humans to better utilize carbohydrates: cooking and genetic evolution. The invention of cooking made starchy foods, like roots and tubers, more digestible and calorie-rich. Without cooking, some starches are difficult for our bodies to process, but heat breaks them down, making their energy more readily available. This increased access to dense energy sources is even hypothesized to have fueled the expansion of the human brain.
Simultaneously, human genetics adapted to this dietary shift. Studies have shown that early humans began developing extra copies of the salivary amylase (AMY1) gene, which produces the enzyme needed to digest starches. This genetic change occurred well before the widespread adoption of agriculture, indicating an evolutionary adaptation to a starch-rich diet. The number of AMY1 gene copies varies among modern populations, potentially reflecting differences in ancestral diets.
The Great Dietary Shift: Agriculture and Modern Carbs
The Neolithic Revolution, which began around 12,000 years ago, drastically altered the human diet. As communities transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural societies, their food sources became more predictable but also more heavily reliant on a smaller number of carbohydrate-dense crops.
Hunter-Gatherer vs. Modern Western Diet Macronutrients
While ancient humans did eat carbs, the proportion of carbohydrates in their diet was generally lower and the types of carbohydrates were vastly different compared to the modern Western diet. Hunter-gatherer diets varied by region, but were generally high in protein and healthy fats, with carbs coming from wild fruits, vegetables, nuts, and tubers. The modern diet, in contrast, is often high in refined carbohydrates and sugars.
| Feature | Hunter-Gatherer Diet | Modern Western Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate Sources | Wild fruits, roots, tubers, wild grains, nuts, seeds | Cereal grains, processed foods, refined sugars, dairy |
| Carbohydrate Percentage | Approximately 22-40% of energy | Often 50% or more of energy |
| Fat Sources | Wild game, nuts, seeds, fish | Processed oils, fat from grain-fed livestock, dairy |
| Protein Sources | Wild game, fish, eggs, some insects | Livestock, poultry, processed meats, dairy |
| Processing Level | Minimal or simple processing (cooking, pounding) | Highly processed, refined ingredients |
A Broader Perspective on Ancient Carb Consumption
The exact composition of any prehistoric diet depended heavily on geography. For example, hunter-gatherer groups in colder climates had limited access to plant foods for parts of the year and relied more heavily on animal products. Coastal communities consumed significant amounts of fish and shellfish. However, in regions where plant life was abundant, carbohydrates were an essential food source. The Hadza people, a modern hunter-gatherer group in Tanzania, rely heavily on tubers and other plant foods, demonstrating the viability of a carb-inclusive forager diet. This confirms that a one-size-fits-all ancestral diet is a fallacy.
Conclusion
So, have humans always eaten carbs? The answer is a resounding yes, but the story is far more nuanced than simple myth or modern diet claims. Archaeological discoveries and genetic evidence show that our ancestors consumed a varied, omnivorous diet that included wild starchy plants, roots, fruits, and seeds long before the agricultural revolution. Humans not only ate carbs but also evolved genetically to digest them more effectively. The real distinction lies in the quality and type of carbohydrates: whole, unprocessed sources from our past versus the high-sugar, refined products of today. Understanding this history is crucial for appreciating the diversity of human diets and the long-standing role of carbohydrates in our nutritional story. For more detail on the genetic evidence, a study published in the Quarterly Review of Biology offers further insight into the importance of dietary carbohydrates in human evolution.
