Scientists Find That Cavemen Ate a Mostly Vegan Diet in Groundbreaking New Study

Imagine a cave dweller, spear in hand, ready to hunt large game. This stereotype portrays our ancestors as predominantly meat eaters, a concept deeply embedded in our understanding of the Paleolithic diet. Yet, a recent study published in the Nature Ecology & Evolution Journal turns this notion on its head. Researchers have uncovered compelling evidence that the diets of Paleolithic populations, particularly the Iberomaurusians in North Africa, were mainly plant-based. These findings challenge long-held views and suggest revising our ancient forebears’ actual diet.

Traditional Understanding & Principles of the Paleo Diet

The Paleo, called the caveman or Stone Age diet, includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Proponents of the diet emphasize choosing low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. Most of the diet is centered around protein intake, promoting the consumption of grass-fed beef for its omega-3 content. The idea is to consume the foods available during the Paleolithic period for health benefits since our genetics and anatomy have changed very little.

Many people follow the Paleo diet to mimic what they believe Paleolithic humans ate. This diet includes lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, with a heavy emphasis on high-protein intake and low-glycemic fruits and vegetables.

Supporters of the Paleo diet often highlight that primitive tools would have limited plant cultivation, increasing reliance on hunting and fishing. Marketing around modern Paleo diets frequently emphasizes this ancestral consumption of meat, reinforcing the image of beef as the dietary staple of early humans. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, the diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods and excludes grains, legumes, and dairy. This approach stems from the belief that early Stone Age tools were too primitive for large-scale agriculture, making meat a primary protein source.

The HSPH also states: ”While some studies have suggested that the paleo diet—which focuses on “caveman” foods such as meat, produce, and nuts—may have health benefits, experts quoted in a November 12, 2020 Today article argue that the evidence is murky.”

What the New Findings Have to Say

Archaeologists have unearthed significant insights at Taforalt, one of the oldest known burial sites in North Africa. This site has provided a treasure trove of skeletal remains from the Iberomaurusians, who lived there around 15,000 years ago. These remains are crucial for understanding the lifestyle and diet of this late Stone Age population.

A groundbreaking study published in the Nature Ecology & Evolution Journal challenges the long-held belief about our ancestors’ eating habits, providing compelling evidence that Stone Age humans may have relied far more heavily on plant-based foods than previously thought. To decipher the diet of the Iberomaurusians, scientists employed advanced stable isotope analysis on the teeth enamel and collagen from the remains, examining:

Nitrogen and Zinc Isotopes: These isotopes provide clues about the diet’s proportion of meat versus plant-based foods. Carbon Isotopes: These help identify the types of protein sources consumed, differentiating between terrestrial meats, fish, and plant foods.

Researchers found that the Iberomaurusians consumed many plant-based foods, including acorns, pine nuts, and wild pulses like lentils and beans. Evidence also suggests the consumption of possible starchy roots or cereals such as beets, corn, rye, and cassava. These findings challenge the long-held notion that cave dwellers’ diets primarily focused on large game. 

According to Zineb Moubtahij, ‘’The potential early weaning of infants at Taforalt reinforces the notion of a plant-based food focus for the population, potentially extending to the primary source of nutrition for infants.’’ The presence of cavities in the skeletal remains provides further insight. These cavities, often associated with consuming fermentable carbohydrates in starchy plants, indicate a carbohydrate-rich diet. The study also hints at rudimentary plant processing and cultivation practices among the Iberomaurusians, predating the recognized Agricultural Revolution.

Implications of the Groundbreaking Study on Paleolithic Diets

These findings significantly alter our understanding of pre-agricultural diets, illustrating that early humans may have relied more on plant-based foods than previously thought. This new perspective on the Paleolithic diet, rich in diverse plant sources, including nuts, pulses, and possibly even cultivated starches, suggests that early humans had a complex understanding of the nutritional sources available in their environment. This has profound implications for modern nutrition, challenging traditional dietary models and potentially influencing public health advice and nutritional guidelines.

The significance of these findings is further emphasized by co-author Klervia Jaouen, who notes the exceptional nature of the discovery. Jaouen describes the “high proportion of plants in the diet of a pre-agricultural population” as “unusual,” and points out that this study marks a historic first in archaeological research. It represents the first time that isotope techniques have revealed such a “significant plant-based component in a Palaeolithic diet,” demonstrating the value of applying modern analytical methods to archaeological research.

Current interpretations of the Paleo diet, which heavily promotes meat consumption based on presumed ancestral eating patterns, now face scrutiny. These new insights into the Iberomaurusians’ diets provide clear evidence that plant foods played a significant role in Paleolithic nutrition, challenging the diet’s foundational claims about protein sources and questioning its health benefits related to modern adaptations of ancient diets.

With these revelations, nutritional science can gain a broader perspective on human dietary evolution. As researchers continue to uncover that early humans consumed and possibly cultivated various plants, dietary recommendations may need revisiting. This could lead to a greater emphasis on the importance of plant-based foods in modern diets, influencing public health advice and nutritional guidelines to reflect the balance of our ancestors’ diets.

Health Implications: Reassessing Our Diet Today

Recent discoveries about Paleolithic humans’ predominantly plant-based diets prompt a critical reassessment of modern dietary advice, especially regarding the role of meat and plant-based nutrients. 

Traditional dietary models often emphasize animal protein as essential for muscle development and overall health. However, the evidence that our ancestors thrived on plant proteins suggests that we also flourish on a diet where meat is not the centerpiece. Nutritionists may advocate for more protein sources, including legumes, nuts, and seeds, less resource-intensive and more sustainable than large-scale meat production.

Modern diets rich in animal fats and proteins have been linked to various health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The Paleolithic diet, which focuses on plants rich in fiber, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients, offers a blueprint for a diet that could potentially reduce these risks. Health professionals might start integrating these findings into guidelines, suggesting that increasing the intake of plant-based foods could lead to better health outcomes.

The variety of plants Paleolithic humans consume highlights the importance of nutritional diversity. Modern diets often lack this variety, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies and poor health. By diversifying our diet to include a broader range of plant-based foods, we can enhance our intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, providing a more balanced and healthful diet.

New Research Debunks the Caveman Diet Myth

The revelation about our ancestors’ plant-based diet opens up intriguing possibilities for future human evolution and nutrition research. While we’ve discovered what our ancestors ate, the next frontier lies in understanding how they prepared these plant foods, what seasonal patterns they followed, and how their dietary choices influenced their social structures and cultural practices.

If our ancestors could thrive on a predominantly plant-based diet in harsh Stone Age conditions, it would challenge our modern assumptions about dietary requirements and food security. As we face growing concerns about sustainable food production and climate change, the Iberomaurusians’ successful reliance on local plant resources offers valuable lessons for contemporary food systems.

These findings influence how we approach dietary recommendations for different populations worldwide. Rather than advocating for a one-size-fits-all approach based on outdated assumptions about our ancestors’ diet, nutritionists and healthcare providers could focus on understanding local food traditions and plant resources specific to each region, much like our adaptable Stone Age predecessors did.