Cavemen had vegan diets

New research shows that cavemen in North Africa had a diet full of plant-based foods including acorns and nuts.

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Cavemen ate vegan food
Cavemen ate vegan food

Cavemen could have been vegan.

Primitive humans are often depicted as feasting on meat but new analysis shows that plant-based snacks, including acorns and nuts, made up a "significant" part of the diet of cavemen in North Africa thousands of years ago.

Experts from Morocco, France and Germany examined the diet of those associated with the Iberomaurusian culture discovered in the Moroccan cave of Taforalt where the "surprising" insights into caveman eating habits were revealed.

Study leader Zineb Moubtahij said: "The major conclusions clearly show that the diet of these hunter-gatherers included a significant proportion of plants belonging to Mediterranean species.

"Archaeobotanical remains found at the site, such as acorns, pine nuts and wild pulses support this notion."

She added: "This challenges the notion of a diet based on animal protein among pre-agricultural groups."