The paleoanthropology and archaeology of big-gamehunting: protein, fat, or politics?

Since its inception, paleoanthropology has been closely wedded to the idea that big-game hunting by our hominin ancestors arose, first and foremost, as a means for acquiring energy and vital nutrients. This assumption has rarely beenquestioned, and seems intuitively obvious'?meat is a nutrient-rich food with the ideal array of amino acids, and big animals provide meat in large, convenient packages. Through new research, the author of this volume provides a strong argument that the primary goals of big-game hunting were actually social andpolitical'?increasing hunter's prestige and standing'?and that the nutritional component was just an added bonus.Through a comprehensive, interdisciplinaryresearch approach, the author examines the historical and current perceptionsof protein as an important nutrient source, the biological impact of a high-protein diet and the evidence of this in the archaeological record, and provides a compelling reexamination of this long-held conclusion.This volume will be of interest to researchers in Archaeology, Evolutionary Biology, and Paleoanthropology, particularly those studying diet and nutrition. INDICE: Introduction.- How Do Paleoanthropologists Know About Human Diets in the Past?- The Traditional View of Big-Game Hunting in Human Evolution.- The Other Side of Protein.- The Great Protein Fiasco.- Excess Protein.- Were Big-Game Hunters (and Scavengers) Targeting Lipids Rather than Protein.- Protein and Pregnancy.- Other Problems with High Protein Intakes.- Additional Issues Concerning Protein as a Nutrient.- Protein and Taste.- Protein and Breast Milk.- Fat in Infancy.- DHA and the Developing Brain.- Social, Political, and Reproductive Factors.

• ISBN: 978-1-4614-2674-5
• Editorial: Springer
• Encuadernacion: Rústica
• Fecha Publicación: 23/07/2012
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés