Evolution of Human Diet

5,000,000 years ago

1 CE

• 3 million years before genus Homo
• 1 million before the primitive proto-humans
• No known tools
• Primates foraged in the savannah environment in Africa
• Plant foods dominant; some scavenging for meat

500,000 years ago

2

• No anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens)
• Time of Homo erectus – a different species
• Diet largely meat (>50%)
• Scavenging and hunting large game animals
• Crude stone tools
• Shellfish and fish not used
• No tools for grinding plant foods known
• Fruits and nuts eaten – known from fossils

50,000 years ago

3

• Diet is wild – no agriculture existed
• Scavenging, hunting, gathering
• Modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) coexisted with distinctly different sub-species (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis)
• Fire used to roast food and heat stones for cooking
• NO food-cooking containers, grinding equipment, bows or harpoons
• Both aquatic and terrestrial foods used

5,000 years ago

4

• Agriculture localized, still emerging
• Most people still dependent on wild foods
• Starchy staple crops present but not widespread
• Maize (corn) in Mesoamerica and South America
• “Wild weeds” domesticated by Native Americans (gourd, sunflower, amaranth)

500 years ago

5

• Europe and the Americas separate
• Italian food without tomatoes!
• Mexican food without cheese, beef, pork or chicken!
• Fish without chips (potatoes) in England!
• Hot chocolate without milk in South America!

50-75 years ago

6

• Refrigeration yes, microwaves no
• Food fortification emerged
• “Ethnic foods” and “fast food” not widespread
• Whole milk, butter, lard common, not thought to be a problem
• Victory gardens and canning during WW II
• Convenience foods sought during post war liberation

5-10 years ago

7

• USDA Food Pyramid (now “MyPlate”)
• “5-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings or “8-10-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings? (after the DASH study)
• Vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements
• Mass media and mass confusion
• Many fad diets – low fat & high carb, low carb & high protein, Paleo diet craze...