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  2. Feb 12, 2024

Ancient Andean Communities Were More Plant-Based Than Previously Thought

A new study that modeled the diets of early Holocene-era humans in the Andean highlands has found that these foraging peoples ate between 70-95% plants. Tubers like potatoes were likely the primary source of food. This finding suggests a more plant-based diet in these pre-agricultural economies than had previously been modeled.

References

Chen JC, Aldenderfer MS, Eerkens JW, et al. Stable isotope chemistry reveals plant-dominant diet among early foragers on the Andean Altiplano, 9.0–6.5 cal. ka. PLoS ONE. 2024. 19(1):e0296420. Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0296420

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