Cast your mind back approximately 2 million
years ago, when our primitive human ancestors, the early ape man, roamed the African planes
in a constant quest for sustenance. While exploring a new habitat, perhaps they chanced upon
a fresh-looking plant that instantly caught their eye under the scorching sun. But how did these
early hominids decipher what foods would fortify them versus what would make them sick—or worse,
lead to their death? Today, this task is far less daunting with the abundance of resources
available at our fingertips via the internet, more specifically, countless apps that guide us
towards edible plants that are harmless, rather than harmful. However, thousands of generations
ago, what directed our ancestors' dietary choices? Just as a child learns by observing and
mimicking others, the food choices made by our ancestors were no different. For instance,
if a child sees their parents consuming a banana every day during the initial years of their
life, their brains will register this and catalogue bananas as a safe food option. Based
on the fact that our parents never eat cutlery, modern children understand that forks and
knives are tools, not food. Similarly, our ancient ancestors followed this same principle
of “learned behavior” that we witness today. Our early human ancestors were
predominantly hunters and gatherers, occupying the same geographical regions
for multiple generations. New plant or animal species they encountered were assessed
through a basic concept of trial and error. Tiny quantities of the new food items were consumed
at first. Reactions to these fresh additions to the diet determined their future inclusion
or exclusion in the community’s food choices. If the new food item led to severe illness or
death, it was avoided in the future. If not, the food item was gradually inducted
into the diet. This method of trial and error was initially deemed random, but it
is actually woven into the fabric of survival skills that arose before human existence,
extending to all life forms on the planet. Over the millennia, with the evolution of
languages, symbolism, mathematics, and reasoning, humans have emerged as the most advanced beings on
the planet when it comes to communication across long distances. This clear communication ability,
ingrained in their habits by earlier generations, equipped our ancestors with nuanced knowledge
about their local ecosystems. As humans graduated from being hunter-gatherers to developing
agrarian societies and standardizing their diets based on staple foods, knowledge of wild
plants was gradually eroded. Even so, dietary traditions and regional standards endured, based
on the types of crops cultivated in the area. Fast forward to the present day, where
we have a plethora of resources keeping us informed about what we should and should
not consume, regardless of our geographical location. It’s essential to recognize
that other than learned behaviors and lessons passed on through generations, we
are mammals with an evolved sensory system. Like their great ape ancestors, early humans developed a refined sense of
taste that could distinguish between sweet, salty, bitter and acidic flavors. With their
deeply ingrained instincts and sensory skills, they could navigate through new experiences
and gauge whether a food was palatable or not. From brightly hued pests to vibrant fruits, sensorial inputs play a crucial role in choosing
the right food. However, these cues might not always be accurate—think of pineapples,
coconuts, or chili peppers. Nonetheless, generally following these cues across the
millennia has led to safe dietary decisions. It may be oversimplifying to suggest that
a perpetual cycle of trial and error has led humans to survive and thrive. However, when
guided by learned behavior and sensory inputs, they were able to make safe dietary choices
and increase their chances of passing on their genes. And for those unfortunate early
humans who consumed toxic mushrooms, their sacrifice was a lesson
that would last for generations, protecting them with reasoning, social
structure, and the power of communication.
