Back around 2 million years ago, we humans had an increase in the size of our brainpower. We got smarter and the size of our brains grew. Scientists now believe this was due to the consumption of a specific “brain food” that we have been told we should be consuming more of. What is this wonder food you ask? Well it’s the almighty fish!
According to MSNBC and anthropologist Brian Richmond, fossils found in Kenya have cut marks on them from early stone tools and are the oldest evidence that human ancestors were eating fish and other aquatic animals. The amount of fatty acids in the fish are believed to have given the nutrients needed for their brains to evolve and become larger.
We’ve heard about getting more fish into our diets, and now it seems there is plenty of evidence to support that theory. Among the findings it does say that the diet of our ancestors was quite varied with the inclusion of crocodiles, antelopes, hippopotamus among other things.
“A diet that includes animal tissue, especially ones rich in brain-growth nutrients like fish, crocodiles and turtles, lifts the constraints on brain growth. This is the earliest evidence of a substantial contribution of these kinds of foods into the diet of our early human ancestors, and it occurs before we have evidence of a larger brain,” Brian Richmond said to LiveScience.
So in order to get us to grow bigger and healthier brains, we need to have a diet rich in fatty acids like Omega-3, Omega-6, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which you can get from olive oils, fish, avocados, nuts, and beans among many others. If you are interested in finding out how many nutrients, good fats and minerals along with the nutrition facts of your food make sure to check out Nutrition Data: Know what you eat!
Photo by .mushi_king
10. June 2010 at 10:37 pm
I am a vegetarian that eats seafood, really liked this post:)