Dr. Stefani Crabtree, professor at USU, researches humans in the context of our archaeological past. Her latest research used isotope analyzes of hair and fingernail samples to compare the diet of modern humans to that of our ancestors.
As a species, humans have become omnivores. This flexibility allows us to extract a wide variety of foods from our environment.
“And this makes people more resilient to environmental fluctuations. So if your favorite food isn’t available, you can eat something else, ”said Crabtree.
According to Dr. Crabtree, most modern humans have a more nourishing diet than our ancestors. The breadth of food is reflected in a range of isotope values, and this range is compressed in the modern city dweller. The increasing dependence on agriculture has resulted in a food system that is heavily dependent on certain food groups.
“If we ended up with corn rot, like the potato rot that led to Irish potato starvation, it would be utterly catastrophic to our food system as we feed almost everything on corn,” said Crabtree.
Dr. Carrie Durward, nutrition specialist at USU Extension, said most of the calories Americans eat come from corn, wheat, sugar and rice. Purchasing products directly from farmers supports a local food web that will be more specialized and varied.
“And so it makes our food webs more resilient to some of the concerns she spoke about: climate change, drought, major storms, or epidemics that could disrupt food supply chains nationally and globally. And so by supporting these local food sources. “We support diversity and sustainability in our diet,” said Durward.
