The real ‘paleo diet’ may have been full of toxic metals.
But a new study suggests the food some early humans in Norway ate may have not only been unhealthy, but downright toxic.
In some cases, these people may have consumed more than 20 times the levels of dangerous metals recommended for humans today.
“This study raises interesting ideas,” says Katheryn Twiss, an archaeologist at Stony Brook University who was not involved in the work.
The level of mercury—which can cause damage to the brain, kidneys, and immune system in humans—was also high in both animals.
Balancing the seal and cod with fruit or meat from reindeer and rabbits could have blunted the effects of the heavy metals.
Even if the cod and seal were contaminated by heavy metals, Twiss says, such meat would surely have also been a good source of protein and other key nutrients. »