Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion
Abstract Brain tissue is metabolically expensive. Consequently, the evolution of humans’ large brains must have occurred via concomitant shifts in energy expenditure and intake. Proposed mechanisms include dietary shifts such as cooking. Importantly, though, any new food source must have been exploi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05517-3 |
| _version_ | 1797451748191764480 |
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| author | Katherine L. Bryant Christi Hansen Erin E. Hecht |
| author_facet | Katherine L. Bryant Christi Hansen Erin E. Hecht |
| author_sort | Katherine L. Bryant |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Brain tissue is metabolically expensive. Consequently, the evolution of humans’ large brains must have occurred via concomitant shifts in energy expenditure and intake. Proposed mechanisms include dietary shifts such as cooking. Importantly, though, any new food source must have been exploitable by hominids with brains a third the size of modern humans’. Here, we propose the initial metabolic trigger of hominid brain expansion was the consumption of externally fermented foods. We define “external fermentation” as occurring outside the body, as opposed to the internal fermentation in the gut. External fermentation could increase the bioavailability of macro- and micronutrients while reducing digestive energy expenditure and is supported by the relative reduction of the human colon. We discuss the explanatory power of our hypothesis and survey external fermentation practices across human cultures to demonstrate its viability across a range of environments and food sources. We close with suggestions for empirical tests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:58:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-41e11e893c42481f96402fc2efe76728 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:58:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-41e11e893c42481f96402fc2efe767282023-11-26T14:00:10ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422023-11-016111110.1038/s42003-023-05517-3Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansionKatherine L. Bryant0Christi Hansen1Erin E. Hecht2Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille UniversitéHungry Heart Farm and Dietary ConsultingDepartment of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityAbstract Brain tissue is metabolically expensive. Consequently, the evolution of humans’ large brains must have occurred via concomitant shifts in energy expenditure and intake. Proposed mechanisms include dietary shifts such as cooking. Importantly, though, any new food source must have been exploitable by hominids with brains a third the size of modern humans’. Here, we propose the initial metabolic trigger of hominid brain expansion was the consumption of externally fermented foods. We define “external fermentation” as occurring outside the body, as opposed to the internal fermentation in the gut. External fermentation could increase the bioavailability of macro- and micronutrients while reducing digestive energy expenditure and is supported by the relative reduction of the human colon. We discuss the explanatory power of our hypothesis and survey external fermentation practices across human cultures to demonstrate its viability across a range of environments and food sources. We close with suggestions for empirical tests.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05517-3 |
| spellingShingle | Katherine L. Bryant Christi Hansen Erin E. Hecht Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion Communications Biology |
| title | Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion |
| title_full | Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion |
| title_fullStr | Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion |
| title_short | Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion |
| title_sort | fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05517-3 |
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