ZOE Science & Nutrition Our ancestors’ diet: surprising discoveries from a 5000 year old iceman
Jun 23, 2022
Join Frank Maixner from the Institute for Mummy Studies, who reveals the secrets of a 5,300-year-old Iceman, alongside Tim Spector, a leading scientist and co-founder of ZOE. They dive into the ancient diet and health of this remarkable figure, uncovering surprising insights about microbiome diversity and its implications today. Discover the Iceman's varied diet, from hunter-gatherer roots to his intriguing gut microbiome, plus how ancient dietary practices can inform modern health choices.
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Iceman's Mushrooms
- The Iceman carried birch polypore mushrooms for fire starting and a medicinal mushroom, possibly for wound healing.
- This medicinal mushroom wasn't hallucinogenic, contrary to some speculation.
Iceman's Microbiome
- The Iceman's gut microbiome resembled that of modern indigenous populations, not Westernized ones.
- This suggests a loss of microbial diversity over time, potentially linked to modern diseases.
Microbiome Diversity
- Microbiome diversity is like a garden: the more diverse (species-rich), the healthier.
- Westernized populations show reduced diversity linked to various diseases.