January 2014 PMID 24395774

Earliest evidence for caries and exploitation of starchy plant foods in Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from Morocco.

Louise T Humphrey, Isabelle De Groote, Jacob Morales, Nick Barton, Simon Collcutt, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Abdeljalil Bouzouggar

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Mentions

118
Peak: 12 in Feb 2022
across 6 sources since Feb 2019

Extended reach

996,666
potential audience

Total likes

18,045

Video views

378,639

Mentions per month

Feb 2019 – Jul 2025

Where it's discussed

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AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions consistently express agreement with the idea that early humans exploited starchy plants, as shown by phrases like 'high prevalence of caries' and 'exploitation of starchy foods,' with many comments supporting the connection between diet and oral health. The tone typically reflects curiosity and validation, especially with references to previous studies and paleo-diet concepts, demonstrating a high level of engagement and perceived significance.

AgreementStrong agreement

Most discussions strongly support the findings, emphasizing the significance of early carbohydrate consumption and dental decay in human evolution.

InterestHigh interest

Posts reflect high interest, referencing the research in multiple contexts, including paleo-diet implications and ancient dietary practices.

EngagementHigh engagement

Engagement is deep, with replies discussing related studies, methodological approaches, and implications for understanding human history.

ImpactHigh impact

The conversations suggest the publication influences ongoing debates about diet, evolution, and the origins of dental health issues, indicating a high impact.

Abstract in brief

  • The study presents evidence that Pleistocene hunter-gatherers in Morocco had a high prevalence of dental caries, linked to their reliance on wild plant foods like acorns and pine nuts that are rich in fermentable carbohydrates.
  • This high rate of tooth decay predates the advent of food production and widespread use of refined sugars in modern societies, suggesting early dietary shifts affected oral health well before agriculture.
  • Archaeological and botanical remains from around 15,000 years ago show systematic harvesting and processing of cariogenic plants, indicating that early humans' diet and food processing methods contributed to an early change in their oral microbiota associated with disease.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
金森重樹@ダイエットonlineサロン
@ShigekiKanamori · X

狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時代は動物性食品寄りだった doi:10.1073/pnas.1318176111

Feb 21, 2022 · 76 likes · 13 shares · 125,047 followers View post →
金森重樹@ダイエットonlineサロン
@ShigekiKanamori · X

縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食べた中石器以降は違う doi:10.1073/pnas.1318176111 https://t.co/fFurf4YNbM

Aug 11, 2022 · 34 likes · 6 shares · 125,047 followers View post →
Tylor Barker
@0x00000008 · X

@KwaoBuabeng @ShitpostGate so true. why did we ever start eating that shit 15,000 years ago? https://t.co/JDgyqorC4n

Mar 12, 2025 · 23 likes · 291 followers View post →
Kevin Stock, DDS
@kevinstock12 · X

@richcollins @DimitriRadoux @ProfTimNoakes @SBakerMD @DrEades @jordanbpeterson @joerogan @maxlugavere @LoreofRunning1 @FructoseNo @fleroy1974 @bendormiki There is evidence of wild plant foods causing decay prior to agriculture. https://t.co/YdvelB1l91

Sep 6, 2023 · 5 likes · 2 shares · 21,512 followers View post →
Lisa Lodwick
@LisaLodwick · X

@Lophophanes @GillCampbell10 @Dendrochronicle @collbradan @struth28 @EnviroSuzi @BenjaminGearey Hello! So a bit outside my period of study, but the first paper that comes to mind is this one about Pleistocene Morococo, but the ID is Pinus pinaster https://t.co/gpvgDxJjiS. And the stone-pine hyphen is due to the copy-editor

Jul 17, 2020 · 4 likes · 1,728 followers View post →
Beta Hydroxybutyrate Enjoyer
@BHBEnjoyer · X

@AlexJLeaf @thisfitdoc How is that more consistent with human evolution if carbohydrate consumption led to significant tooth decay on a population level from an evolutionary standpoint? https://t.co/SLETHp7kN8

Jan 27, 2025 · 3 likes · 525 followers View post →

All mentions

Stathi
@stathi_ · X

@caloriesproper2 These people certainly weren't on a carnivore diet: https://t.co/gwOE8EoiAw

Jul 24, 2025 · 124 followers View post →
Tylor Barker
@0x00000008 · X

@tyrthule @ShitpostGate https://t.co/JDgyqorC4n

Mar 12, 2025 · 1 like · 291 followers View post →
Tylor Barker
@0x00000008 · X

@KwaoBuabeng @ShitpostGate so true. why did we ever start eating that shit 15,000 years ago? https://t.co/JDgyqorC4n

Mar 12, 2025 · 23 likes · 291 followers View post →
Beta Hydroxybutyrate Enjoyer
@BHBEnjoyer · X

@AlexJLeaf @thisfitdoc How is that more consistent with human evolution if carbohydrate consumption led to significant tooth decay on a population level from an evolutionary standpoint? https://t.co/SLETHp7kN8

Jan 27, 2025 · 3 likes · 525 followers View post →
Sudās
@sudas1891 · X

@comedycrick215 @BHBEnjoyer @SentientBlobBob https://t.co/HF1U7T32rG “Taforalt presents multidisciplinary evidence linking a high prevalence of caries to a reliance on highly cariogenic wild plant foods, predating other high caries populations and the first signs of food production by several thousand years.”

Dec 5, 2023 · 1 like · 637 followers View post →
Sudās
@sudas1891 · X

@BHBEnjoyer @SentientBlobBob @comedycrick215 https://t.co/HF1U7T32rG

Dec 5, 2023 · 1 like · 637 followers View post →
PH78-African Bias American
@Phillip05166897 · X

https://t.co/KiRSqT5Zc8 https://t.co/ATjS9wPauV https://t.co/6iWLHOAOqo https://t.co/Gin3DdescT https://t.co/08WYV1MH9U https://t.co/08WYV1MH9U https://t.co/MUgnM2kiUn https://t.co/62B79vQh1S

Sep 30, 2023 · 1,491 followers View post →
Joshua W. Robertson
@coolbluwtr · X

RT @kevinstock12: @richcollins @DimitriRadoux @ProfTimNoakes @SBakerMD @DrEades @jordanbpeterson @joerogan @maxlugavere @LoreofRunning1 @Fr…

Sep 6, 2023 · 2 shares · 74 followers View post →
Tim Noakes
@ProfTimNoakes · X

RT @kevinstock12: @richcollins @DimitriRadoux @ProfTimNoakes @SBakerMD @DrEades @jordanbpeterson @joerogan @maxlugavere @LoreofRunning1 @Fr…

Sep 6, 2023 · 2 shares · 158,431 followers View post →
Kevin Stock, DDS
@kevinstock12 · X

@richcollins @DimitriRadoux @ProfTimNoakes @SBakerMD @DrEades @jordanbpeterson @joerogan @maxlugavere @LoreofRunning1 @FructoseNo @fleroy1974 @bendormiki There is evidence of wild plant foods causing decay prior to agriculture. https://t.co/YdvelB1l91

Sep 6, 2023 · 5 likes · 2 shares · 21,512 followers View post →
Sudās
@sudas1891 · X

@JohnnyScott234 @BHBEnjoyer @SamaHoole Pretty much impossible to get caries, cavities, and abscesses all of which became epidemic with rise of agriculture. One exception is hunter gatherers found in a cave in Morocco who were eating starchy wild plants. https://t.co/HF1U7T32rG

Jul 17, 2023 · 1 like · 637 followers View post →
Carnivore is Vegan
@CarnivoreIs · X

@kitchenconserv And a Paleolithic group of people that had bad dental caries... Because they were able to exploit starchy foods long before agriculture. https://t.co/pR2t5uagl7

May 28, 2023 · 3,696 followers View post →
Hubert Łępicki
@hubertlepicki · X

RT @Travis_Statham: I just posted "Earliest evidence for caries and exploitation of starchy plant foods in Pleistocene hunter-gatherers fro…

May 17, 2023 · 1 share · 2,250 followers View post →
ケトンマン@ケトジェニック
@theketonman · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食…

Nov 20, 2022 · 6 shares · 170 followers View post →
人喰いネズミ
@lastofmouse · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食…

Aug 19, 2022 · 6 shares · 969 followers View post →
hkozjp
@hkozjp2 · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食…

Aug 11, 2022 · 6 shares · 12 followers View post →
マサル(ワクチン未摂取)・断糖高脂質食体重記録´23.7.8/65.9㎏
@UAV7BtYOq8O9FOT · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食…

Aug 11, 2022 · 6 shares · 27 followers View post →
ちえ金森式
@CHIE56552190 · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食…

Aug 11, 2022 · 6 shares · 93 followers View post →
金森重樹@ダイエットonlineサロン
@ShigekiKanamori · X

縄文人がめちゃくちゃむし歯が多いのは過去ツイで触れた三内丸山遺跡に植林された栗林のように栗や胡桃などナッツを食べていたから ナッツ食べたら歯がもたない 米を食べた弥生人ではう蝕率は縄文人の倍以上 旧石器時代の食べ物とナッツなどを食べた中石器以降は違う doi:10.1073/pnas.1318176111 https://t.co/fFurf4YNbM

Aug 11, 2022 · 34 likes · 6 shares · 125,047 followers View post →
Fabien Abraini
@Fabiensapiens · X

@BuhlerLaurent @__PatK__ Et au paléolithique, la plus ancienne occurrence connue de forte prévalence de caries est trouvée dans une société consommant beaucoup de glucides. https://t.co/dYi9Wyj39a

Aug 7, 2022 · 13,146 followers View post →
Fabien Abraini
@Fabiensapiens · X

@coin_wrangler @alexlesuper @mnvrsngh Perhaps same problem back to paleolithic. High rate of caries found in a population relying heavily on carbohydrates. https://t.co/dYi9Wyj39a

Aug 7, 2022 · 13,146 followers View post →
nashi506
@nashi506 · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 22, 2022 · 13 shares · 526 followers View post →
tsuji
@tsujitawa · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 22, 2022 · 13 shares · 1,131 followers View post →
みちや
@michiyakun · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 22, 2022 · 13 shares · 575 followers View post →
金森重樹@ダイエットonlineサロン
@ShigekiKanamori · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 22, 2022 · 13 shares · 125,047 followers View post →
康寛(やすひろ)
@AvYOC1fvIf0T7GF · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 22, 2022 · 13 shares · 81 followers View post →
Haruki Asuka
@HarukiAsuka1 · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 21, 2022 · 13 shares · 103 followers View post →
金髪イブ
@kinpatsu7 · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 21, 2022 · 13 shares · 1,013 followers View post →
chii
@ChiiZeri · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 21, 2022 · 13 shares · 166 followers View post →
王様サプリ
@osamasupplement · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 21, 2022 · 13 shares · 592 followers View post →
sh-nuppu
@Nuppu008 · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 21, 2022 · 13 shares · 478 followers View post →
Anohito
@anohitoooo · X

RT @ShigekiKanamori: 狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時…

Feb 21, 2022 · 13 shares · 397 followers View post →
金森重樹@ダイエットonlineサロン
@ShigekiKanamori · X

狩猟採集民を模倣するパレオは問題がある 現代の狩猟採集民は大型草食獣が絶滅した後の環境に適応を強いられた 中石器時代以降はナッツ等を食べて虫歯が現代人並に激増した ナッツは嗜好品に過ぎず 間食でナッツは歯の問題を起こす 旧石器時代は動物性食品寄りだった doi:10.1073/pnas.1318176111

Feb 21, 2022 · 76 likes · 13 shares · 125,047 followers View post →
Janelle Louise
@janelle360 · X

Earliest evidence for caries and exploitation of starchy plant foods in Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from Morocco https://t.co/J9oXhIOizl

Mar 18, 2021 · 51 followers View post →
Sarah Hancock PhD
@sjhancocknz · X

@BradCLemley @zinocker @BoydSwinburn and this https://t.co/cyugcRkpsf you'll find the work of Weston A Price really interesting too.

Nov 12, 2020 · 1 like · 633 followers View post →
Travis Statham
@Travis_Statham · X

I just posted "Earliest evidence for caries and exploitation of starchy plant foods in Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from Morocco" on Reddit https://t.co/DMOig36nwJ

Sep 26, 2020 · 1 share · 12,705 followers View post →
Lisa Lodwick
@LisaLodwick · X

@Lophophanes @GillCampbell10 @Dendrochronicle @collbradan @struth28 @EnviroSuzi @BenjaminGearey Hello! So a bit outside my period of study, but the first paper that comes to mind is this one about Pleistocene Morococo, but the ID is Pinus pinaster https://t.co/gpvgDxJjiS. And the stone-pine hyphen is due to the copy-editor

Jul 17, 2020 · 4 likes · 1,728 followers View post →
Leave it to Beaver? Eve Beavers-Fain BSN MPH
@espacetimeNOT · X

Did humans exploit plant foods & caused inequity via social stratification? "Earliest evidence for caries and exploitation of starchy plant foods in Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from Morocco"

Jan 12, 2020 · 1 like · 1,212 followers View post →
Andrés Suárez Glez.
@serdna975 · X

RT @TuckerGoodrich: @Maratosflier @DrStevenLin The data on starch and tooth decay is quite clear, down to how bacteria use our own amylase…

Mar 21, 2019 · 2 shares · 2,933 followers View post →