The Study
A brief history of meat in the human diet and current health implications.
This study is like a storybook about how our ancestors ate meat a long time ago and how it might have helped them grow big brains. But it doesn’t show if eating meat today makes people healthier or sicker — it just tells a history lesson.
Analysis score
Maximum 5 for a narrative review.
Where the score came from
Long ago, our ancestors started eating meat and other animal foods, which helped their brains grow bigger and their guts change.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 51 / 100
Quality score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Not specified
- 2Not specified
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Related Content
Claims (4)
Long before humans existed, our ancient ancestors were eating meat and other animal parts, and scientists know this because they found cuts on old animal bones and special chemical traces in the bones of those early humans.
Eating meat and other animal foods helped early human ancestors change from living in forests and eating mostly fruit to living on open grasslands, and this diet change made their brains bigger and their guts smaller.
Eating meat, eggs, and dairy gave our ancestors the nutrients they needed to grow smarter brains over thousands of years — so these foods might still help our brains work well today.
A long time ago, as human brains got bigger, it might have been because our ancestors started eating more meat, eggs, and other animal foods rich in fats and cholesterol.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.