The Caveman Diet, also known as the Paleo Diet, is a weight-loss fad in which calorie counters choose foods they think early humans ate.
For most followers, this means a meat-rich diet.
But a new study suggests that if you really want to eat like a caveman, you should avoid red meat.
Contrary to popular belief, researchers from Bar-Ilan University say early humans did not focus exclusively on animal proteins.
Instead, cavemen were mostly vegetarians whose diets included plant foods including acorns, grains, legumes, and aquatic plants.
“This discovery underlines the importance of plant foods in the evolution of our ancestors,” said Dr. Hadar Ahituv, lead author of the study.
‘We now understand that early hominins collected a wide variety of plants throughout the year, which they processed using tools made from basalt.
‘This discovery opens a new chapter in the study of early human diets and their profound connection to plant foods.’
Cavemen have long been portrayed as voracious meat eaters (stock image)
The researchers focused on basalt tools found at an ancient settlement near Gesher Benot Ya’akov
Cavemen have long been portrayed as voracious meat eaters.
But in their new research, the team wanted to understand what early humans actually ate.
The researchers focused on basalt tools found at an ancient settlement near Gesher Benot Ya’akov.
Located on the shores of ancient Hula Lake, this site includes more than twenty layers of settlements, fossilized animal remains and plant remains.
During their analysis, the researchers discovered starch grains on the basalt tools that are approximately 780,000 years old.
“These include acorns, grass grains, water chestnuts, rhizomes of yellow water lilies and seeds of legumes,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in PNAS.
According to the experts, this indicates that plants played a central role in the caveman’s diet.
As for why our ancient ancestors prioritized these foods, the researchers suggest it may be related to the evolution of the human brain.
The Caveman Diet, also known as the Paleo Diet, is a weight-loss fad in which calorie counters choose foods they think early humans ate. For most followers, this means a diet high in meat (stock image)
During their analysis, the researchers discovered starch grains on the basalt tools. “These include acorns, grass grains, water chestnuts, rhizomes of yellow water lilies and seeds of legumes,” the researchers wrote in their study.
“Starchy tubers, nuts and roots are rich in carbohydrates that are essential for the energy needs of the human brain,” she added.
The study also highlights the advanced methods early humans used to process plant material.
The starch grains were found on basalt clubs and anvils – tools used to crack and crush a variety of plants, including acorns, grains, legumes and aquatic plants.
Researchers also identified microscopic remains such as pollen grains, rodent hair and feathers, which they say supports the credibility of the starch findings.
The researchers hope the findings will help rewrite the stereotype of the meat-loving caveman.
“Our results further confirm the importance of plant foods in our evolutionary history and highlight the development of complex food-related behaviors,” she added.