Forget what you thought about cavemen! Early hunter-gatherers were mostly ... trends now
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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
