Before the discovery and mastery of fire, it is believed that early humans consumed a diet that consisted primarily of raw food, including meat. However, it's important to note that our knowledge of prehistoric diets is based on scientific theories and evidence gathered from archaeological findings.
Early humans, such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus, were capable hunters and scavengers. They likely consumed raw meat from animals they hunted or found deceased. Eating raw meat would have provided them with a source of protein and essential nutrients.
It's worth mentioning that consuming raw meat carries certain risks due to the potential presence of harmful bacteria, parasites, or pathogens. However, our early ancestors may have developed physiological adaptations, such as a more robust immune system or a different digestive system, to better tolerate raw meat consumption.
The invention and control of fire by early humans around 1.5 million years ago brought significant changes to their diet. Cooking food over fire provided several advantages, including improved taste, enhanced nutrient absorption, and the ability to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. The application of heat through cooking also made food easier to chew and digest, enabling early humans to access additional sources of nutrition and energy.
In summary, while it is likely that early humans consumed raw meat before the discovery of fire, the invention of fire and the subsequent ability to cook food had a transformative impact on their diet and nutritional intake.
Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model
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