Cavemen abandoned meat and went vegetarian more than 15,000 years ago, scientists have found.
But rather than embracing healthy leafy greens and colourful vegetables, our ancient ancestors gorged on beige starchy foods like cereals, nuts and legumes.
Previous studies had assumed humans developed a taste for starch much more recently, when agriculture was invented around 8,000 years ago.
The high levels of glucose in starch may have paved the way for the expansion of human brains, allowing us to become the dominant species on Earth.
Researchers analysed the bones and teeth of Stone Age hunter-gatherers, who are often depicted feasting on slabs of meat, to discover their true diet.
Cavemen abandoned meat and went vegetarian more than 15,000 years ago, scientists have found (stock image)
Zineb Moubtahij, of the Max Panck Institute in Germany, said: ‘Our findings not only provide insights into the dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups but also highlight the complexity of human survival strategies.
‘Understanding these patterns is crucial to unravelling the broader story of human evolution.’
The new study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, also found Stone Age humans started weaning their babies with soft cereals before they turned one.
However, the intense reliance on plant-based foods did not lead to the development of plant cultivation until much later.
While there was some evidence of limited meat consumption, it was found people predominantly ate plants. They may have gathered and stored these year-round to ensure consistent food supplies.
Researchers analysed the bones and teeth of Stone Age hunter-gatherers, who are often depicted feasting on slabs of meat, to discover their true diet
The researchers examined human remains from the cave site of Taforalt in eastern Morocco.
By analysing the chemical composition of their preserved teeth, they could establish what the hunter-gatherers ate.
The scientists said their findings ‘unequivocally demonstrate a substantial plant-based component’ of the caveman diet, challenging the assumption that they had a ‘high reliance on animal proteins’.
Markings on the ancient teeth also suggested that they had not been used to chew meat and offered clues about when babies were weaned.
Today, starch makes up about 60 per cent of the calories consumed by humans worldwide.
Over-consumption of starchy foods, combined with lack of exercise, is blamed for a national obesity epidemic and soaring levels of type-2 diabetes.
The main culprits are potatoes, bread, pasta, rice and cereals.
