Looking at Evolution and Food – An Information Update
Major evolutionary adaptations involving the types of food and their digestion changed our fate. Living organisms need to consume nutritious food to support our body functions. Experts tell us, we need about 40 to 50 nutrients for proper health, which include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. As a species, we adapted to new climate conditions, resource availability, and enduring challenges by continuously adjusting and adapting to changes.
As differences in diet occurred, the function and structure of organisms reflected them. Food habits developed behaviors, such as planning, cooperation, and organization, changing the structure of our brains. Cooking techniques made food more digestible and killed pathogens, producing larger brains, bigger bodies, and more cooperative behaviors. Cooking allowed us to get energy, use resources, organize our societies, and create more innovative preparation techniques. The food sources produced a higher degree of energy and increased neuroplasticity in the brain, evolving a higher cognitive functioning. Sensory-neural responses to taste, texture, and temperature developed more sophisticated emotional responses and temperaments, resulting in evolutionary and cultural changes in our species.
