Human consumption of large herbivore digesta and its implications for foraging theory

Abstract

Vegetal matter undergoing digestion in herbivores' stomachs and intestines, digesta, can be an important source of dietary carbohydrates for human foragers.Digesta significantly increases large herbivores' total caloric yield and broadens their nutritional profile to include three key macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) in amounts sufficient to sustain small foraging groups for multiple days without supplementation. Ethnographic reports of routine digesta consumption are limited to high latitudes, but the practice may have had a wider distribution prehistorically. Including this underappreciated resource in our foraging hypotheses and models can substantively change their predictions.Assessing the explanatory power of kilocalorie-centered models relative to ones that attend to humans' other nutritional requirements can help us better address major questions in evolutionary anthropology. This paper explores the foraging implications of digesta in two contexts-sex-divided subsistence labor and archaeologically observed increases in plant use and sedentism-using estimates of available protein and carbohydrates in the native tissues and digesta, respectively, of a large ruminant herbivore (Bison bison).

Hunter‐gatherer diets and activity as a model for health promotion: Challenges, responses, and confirmations

“…Based on these data, the energy sources of typical late Paleolithic diets would have consisted of ~30% protein, ~35% CHO, and ~35% fat. Numerous subsequent studies have arrived at essentially similar proportions (e.g., Kuipers et al 23 ), although new research on HG consumption of the digesta of large herbivore prey could increase CHO estimates 30 . The estimates for protein and fat are within the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) accepted macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDRs) 31 : For CHO, the NAS AMDR is 45%–65%, well above the HGM figure of 35%.…”

“…On average, honey provided about 2% of total energy and most CHO sources provided considerable dietary fiber, especially if the digesta of large herbivore prey are included. 30 A modern simulation of HG food pyramid would have a base not of grains but of fruits and vegetables with adequate fiber. The second tier would be lean meat, fish, and (for those who tolerate them) dairy foods.…”

“…Numerous subsequent studies have arrived at essentially similar proportions (e.g., Kuipers et al 23 ), although new research on HG consumption of the digesta of large herbivore prey could increase CHO estimates. 30 The estimates for protein and fat are within the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) accepted macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDRs) 31 : For CHO, the NAS AMDR is 45%-65%, well above the HGM figure of 35%. However, the NAS range includes up to 25% sugar, a nutrient thought to provide only ~2% of Paleolithic dietary intake.…”

Male–male relationships in chimpanzees and the evolution of human pair bonds

“…One theme is pair bonding evolved to facilitate paternal care through provisioning or protection; another theme is that pair bonding evolved due to male mating competition 12,28,29 . Both hypotheses seem plausible, despite considerable variation in foraging and hunting practices across human populations 30,31 . Human infants—with their large brains and long dependency—may have put added pressure on mothers, who, in turn, formed relationships with their reproductive partners to facilitate provisioning and protection.…”

“…12,28,29 Both hypotheses seem plausible, despite considerable variation in foraging and hunting practices across human populations. 30,31 Human infants-with their large brains and long dependency-may have put added pressure on mothers, who, in turn, formed relationships with their reproductive partners to facilitate provisioning and protection. Such support may have been especially important for hairless bipeds that were perhaps hunting more and using fire to cook their food.…”