Tag: Neolithic revolution

Contrary to the popular single 'caveman diet' idea, evidence shows that early human diets were incredibly diverse and varied significantly by geography, climate, and season. The question of what was the original diet leads to a complex tapestry of plant and animal foods consumed over millions of years.

Archaeological evidence from ancient pottery suggests that humans began consuming milk from domesticated animals as far back as the Neolithic period, approximately 9,000 years ago. This practice emerged as part of the agricultural revolution, fundamentally altering human diets and leading to a significant evolutionary adaptation: the ability for some adults to digest milk.

Earliest archaeological evidence from Ethiopia indicates our ancestors were butchering animals with stone tools as far back as 2.6 million years ago. This initial foray into carnivory marks the beginning of the long evolutionary journey to understand when did eating meat become common.

For almost 99% of human history, hunting and gathering was the sole method of nutrition, a stark contrast to today's abundant supermarket shelves. The fundamental question of how did we get food reveals a long and complex story of innovation, adaptation, and societal change.

Evidence of early humans cooking and eating starchy foods, like tubers and rhizomes, has been found dating back over 120,000 years. The idea that humans have always eaten carbs is a myth, but their consumption has deep roots in our history, contrary to some modern diet beliefs.

While all infant mammals, including humans, can produce the enzyme lactase to digest milk, most mammals stop producing it after infancy. This suggests that the ability for many adults to process lactose is a relatively recent evolutionary development, not an ancient trait shared by all humanity.

Recent paleoanthropological studies have found that the transition to farming approximately 10,000 years ago coincided with a significant decline in overall human health. This unexpected outcome raises the question: who was healthier, hunters and gatherers or farmers?

Approximately 65% of the global population is lactose intolerant, yet for many, drinking milk is a dietary staple. Understanding how humans started drinking milk is a fascinating tale of cultural adaptation, genetic evolution, and survival strategies that unfolded over thousands of years.

Archaeological evidence from a cave in Mozambique suggests humans were consuming wild sorghum as far back as 105,000 years ago, challenging the long-held assumption that grain consumption was a much more recent development.

Approximately 65% of the global adult population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. This statistic immediately challenges the idea that all humans are designed to drink milk throughout their lives. The ability to digest milk as an adult is a relatively recent genetic mutation that spread in certain populations, making the question of our milk-drinking 'design' far more complex than simple biology.