Tag: Anthropology

Geophagy, the practice of intentionally eating earth or soil-like substances, is widespread across the globe and dates back to antiquity. One prominent and culturally significant example of a geophagy is the consumption of kaolin, commonly known as Calabar chalk in parts of West and Central Africa.

A 2024 study of Stone Age hunter-gatherers in Morocco revealed that their diet included a surprisingly high proportion of plant matter, challenging the assumption that early humans ate mostly meat. While the 'caveman diet' is often portrayed as carnivore-heavy, the truth about whether early humans ate more meat or plants is far more nuanced and dependent on many factors.

Based on microfossil evidence from Neanderthal teeth, it is clear that early humans consumed a wide array of foods, not just meat, and that hunter-gatherers eat eggs whenever they are opportunistically available. These nutritional powerhouses offered a quick and calorie-dense food source that was valuable for survival and contributed significantly to their diet when found.

While a typical modern human body contains over 125,000 calories, a 2017 study concluded that, from a purely nutritional perspective, humans are surprisingly inefficient as a food source compared to other prehistoric prey. The question, is the human body nutritious, therefore, leads to a much more complex and dangerous answer rooted in biology, risk, and ethics.

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.

Despite the popular image of early humans consuming one large meal after a hunt, mounting evidence suggests this is a myth. A more accurate picture of Paleolithic eating patterns reveals a complex, opportunistic, and varied diet dictated by environment and season. Our ancestors likely snacked on foraged food throughout the day, supplementing with larger meals when a big kill was made.

According to a comprehensive 2013 study analyzing diets across 170 countries, the average human trophic level is roughly 2.21, placing us much closer to pigs and anchovies than lions or sharks. This surprising statistic immediately challenges the common belief: are humans top-level consumers?

While estimates vary, studies show the Hadza diet can comprise over 65% of calories from plant foods, with meat consumption being highly seasonal. This raises the question of how often do the Hadza eat meat, and how hunting fits into their overall foraging strategy.

Globally, about 70% of the daily energy intake comes from carbohydrates, demonstrating their fundamental role in human nutrition and culture. Yet, understanding what cultures have a high carb diet reveals a world of diverse, nutrient-rich traditions far removed from modern fears of refined carbohydrates. This article delves into the diets of various societies to show how staple starches have fueled civilizations for centuries.

While roughly 65% of the world's adult population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, many Europeans, particularly those of northern European descent, do not face this issue. The answer to why do Europeans not have lactose intolerance lies in a rapid, relatively recent genetic mutation driven by natural selection.