Did Fermentation Drive Human Brain Evolution?

Image caption: Hecht suggested that an additional study of brain responses to fermented and non-fermented foods might be useful, as might one of olfactory and taste receptors, perhaps using ancient DNA. Image credit: Neuroscience News. Article by Anne Manning, Harvard. Neuroscience News – December 8, 2023. Original research – Nature: Communications Biology.

Summary: Recent research proposes that fermentation, rather than cooking, was the crucial dietary change that enabled the significant growth of the human brain. The researchers argue that pre-digested, fermented foods provided more accessible nourishment, bridging the gap between the evolution of larger brains and the later advent of cooking. […]

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