What Did Paleolithic People Eat?
A chimpanzee’s diet is mainly comprised of plant foods and little meat is consumed. This was probably also the case for early humans. However, meat consumption increased gradually with the adoption of chipped stone tools. The proportion of plant and animal foods in the diet of modern-day hunter-gatherers varies by habitat. The Nukak people of Colombia, who live close to the equator, eat more plant foods (59%). Greenlandic Eskimos, however, eat almost exclusively animal foods (96%). Paleolithic hominins were able to survive in various environments due to their adaptability which allowed them to eat anything.