Researchers find evidence Neanderthals enjoyed an omnivorous diet

Jun 26, 2014 14:20 GMT  ·  By

A recent paper in the journal PLOS ONE argues that, according to recently uncovered evidence, Neanderthals were quite well behaved at meal times and ate their veggies, with or without the promise that they would later get a piece of cake.

Joking aside, researchers with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States and their colleagues at the University of Laguna in Spain claim to have found proof that, contrary to previous assumptions, Neanderthals had a varied diet.

Specifically, the specialists argue that, after analyzing 50,000-year-old poop remains discovered while exploring an archaeological site in southern Spain, they reached the conclusion that Neanderthals did not eat meat alone, but also plants.

Thus, of the poop samples collected and analyzed as part of this research project, two were found to contain traces of a cholesterol-like compound previously documented to originate from plants. Not at all surprisingly, all the samples contained animal-derived cholesterol.

As detailed on the official website for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, the presence of the plant-based cholesterol-like compound, i.e. phytosterol, in these poop remains stands as proof that Neanderthals were no strangers to eating plants.

“We have passed through different phases in our interpretation of Neanderthals. It’s important to understand all aspects of why humanity has come to dominate the planet the way it does. A lot of that has to do with improved nutrition over time,” said study author Ainara Sistiaga.

“These lovely new data on fecal sterols confirm what many people have been increasingly thinking, which is that something is wrong with the inference that Neanderthals were 100 percent carnivores,” added Richard Wrangham, a professor of biological anthropology at Harvard University.

In their paper, the researchers who carried out this investigation explain that, when compared to meat, plants contain far less phytosterol per gram. Hence, in order for the samples they analyzed to contain the cholesterol-like compound, they had to have come from somebody who was quite fond of veggies.

Although future investigations into the matter at hand are needed, specialists now have evidence that Neanderthals were able to adapt to changes in their environment by altering their diet. As Ainara Sistiaga put it, “We believe Neanderthals probably ate what was available in different situations, seasons, and climates.”

Commenting on how these findings could transform our understanding of Neanderthals, Richard Wrangham said, “The Sistiaga data are a wonderful new source for challenging conventional wisdom. In the end it would not be surprising to find that Neanderthals show little difference from sapiens in their diet composition.”