Diet for the Urban Troglodyte - 06. More Veggies

Caveman ate meat. No, caveman also ate meat. Even the Neanderthal man ate veggies. There is evidence (poop studies!) that the Neanderthal man ate cooked and raw veggies about 50,000 years ago [1]. Other studies in tooth plaque showed evidence for grasses, tubers, and other plants, even cooked barley.

Caveman ate anything that nourished him/her. And caveman surely ate differently due to geographic or seasonal conditions. High up in the North maybe meatier, near the equator maybe more fruits and veggies.

Veggies underwent “profound changes”, but surely later ,when farmer to transform vegetables by selection. Kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all brassicas, “derived from a single prehistoric plant variety” [2].

The urban troglodyte isn’t the caveman of 50-100,000 years ago. Our immune system changed, the microbes of the guts changed (maybe to the better), enzymes changed. The urban troglodyte doesn’t have to take what’s available, but has a choice.

Spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli (OT: I always have to think of James Bond, if I see broccoli), zucchini, green onion, tubers, Brussels’ sprouts, carrots, cabbage, asparagus, mushrooms, avocado, bell peppers, leeks etc. are all good for the urban troglodyte. Remember the urban troglodyte eats other veggies than the caveman, but unprocessed like the caveman.

Urban troglodyte, eat more veggies!

Links: 

[1] http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/06/neandertals-ate-their-veggies-their-feces-reveal

[2] http://www.slate.com/articles/life/explainer/2012/02/the_real_caveman_diet_what_did_people_eat_in_prehistoric_times_.html

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