Scientists Reveal Early Humans Consumed Processed Plants Long Before Agriculture
Recent archaeological research has uncovered evidence that early humans were consuming processed plant foods tens of thousands of years before the advent of agriculture. Published in the Journal of Archaeological Research, the study challenges the long-held belief that early human diets were primarily meat-based. Instead, it reveals that prehistoric humans across various continents were gathering, cooking, and grinding wild plants, including seeds, nuts, and starchy roots. This discovery suggests a more nutritionally diverse diet than previously understood. The research, conducted by teams from the Australian National University and the University of Toronto Mississauga, utilized archaeological data from sites in Africa, the Levant, Southeast Asia, and Australia. These sites provided evidence such as grinding stones and charred plant remains, indicating plant food preparation dating back at least 35,000 years. 
