Final answer:
Current research in biological anthropology challenges the conventional view of Neandertal diets, showing a high diversity in food sources, with plant-based foods making up a significant part of their diet. This contrasts with earlier thoughts of a heavily meat-focused diet, revealing the complexities of early human nutrition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Recent evidence challenges the traditional view of Neandertal diets suggesting that they had a diverse diet beyond the previous assumption of predominantly meat-based consumption. Biological anthropologists have utilized methods such as zooarchaeology, studies of human anatomy and physiology, and the analysis of artifacts, coprolites, and human skeletal and dental remains to investigate Paleolithic-era diets. These studies indicate that Paleolithic diets generally consisted of a high level of food diversity, including a significant amount of plant-based sources.
This understanding is further supported by the analysis of Neolithic-era evidence from studies like those of Ebeling and Rowan, which explored the development of grinding tools and their correlation with an increase in carbohydrate consumption and dental decay. Moreover, contemporary paleo diet interpretations often do not align with the anthropological evidence which suggests an actual Paleolithic diet likely comprised 65 percent plant-based foods and 35 percent animal-based foods.
The shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural lifestyles resulted in dietary changes that have led to modern health challenges due to incomplete adaptation. This can be seen in the prevalence of lactose intolerance and dental caries in modern populations. Hence, the traditional viewpoints on Neandertal diets and Paleolithic nutrition are being revised in light of newer archaeological findings and anthropological research.