Tag: Prehistoric diet

Archaeological evidence suggests humans have consumed eggs for millions of years, long before our species became recognizably modern. The decision to eat eggs was likely not a single event but a gradual, natural progression driven by observation, nutritional need, and convenience, making eggs a staple of the human diet for millennia.

Recent archaeological evidence, including analysis of dental plaque and charred food remains, has revealed that early human diets were far more complex and plant-based than once assumed. This new research provides definitive answers to the question: did the first humans eat vegetables?

Iodine is an essential trace mineral for human health, crucial for thyroid function and brain development. Before iodized salt was introduced globally in the 20th century to combat widespread deficiency, humans relied on diverse and often geographically specific natural sources for their iodine intake.

For nearly 2.5 million years, early humans lived as hunter-gatherers, consuming a diet that was highly dependent on their environment. This makes the variable prehistoric eating pattern, rather than a single fixed regimen, the foundation for what is often considered the oldest diet plan.

Studies of modern hunter-gatherers, like the Hadza of Tanzania, show ancient energy expenditure could range from 1,900 to over 8,000 calories per day, depending on factors like age, gender, and environment, revealing how many calories did ancient humans eat per day was highly variable.