A recent study is challenging the popular image tied to the Paleo diet by revealing that early humans were not strict meat-eaters but relied heavily on a wide range of processed plant foods.
Researchers say humans consumed carbohydrates and fats from both plant and animal sources long before the development of agriculture.
Published in the Journal of Archaeological Research, the study comes from the Australian National University and the University of Toronto Mississauga.
It highlights that early diets included wild seeds, starchy tubers, and bitter nuts, which were often ground, cooked or detoxified using simple tools and techniques. This contradicts the belief that prehistoric diets were centered mainly on animal protein.
New findings on early human diets
Dr. Anna Florin, co-author of the study, explained that plant use is often assumed to have become important only with the rise of farming.
However, archaeological discoveries show that early humans were processing plant foods thousands of years before agriculture began, indicating a long-standing relationship with plant-based nutrition.
The research identifies humans as a broad-spectrum species, capable of adapting to various environments through dietary flexibility.
Dr. Monica Ramsey, the other co-author, said this ability to prepare and process plant foods gave early humans critical energy and nutrients. It also helped them survive in different regions across the globe.
Processed plant foods challenge the Paleo diet narrative
Ramsey explained that the use of tools and knowledge of plants allowed early humans to turn many natural ingredients into edible meals, making them innovative and adaptable eaters well before the farming era.
The findings raise questions about the assumptions behind the Paleo diet trend, which often overlooks the central role of plant processing in human evolution.