Survival Advantages of Cheese for Ancient Humans
What survival advantages did cheese offer to ancient humans?
Answer:
Cheese which is gotten from milk helped ancient humans with lactose tolerance survive times of famine when milk was more available than other foods. It also helped them to pass the gene to their descendants who also became lactose tolerant.
Cheese and Lactose Tolerance
Cheese and other dairy products were consumed in limited quantities by ancient humans because many of them were lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance occurs when adults stop producing the enzyme needed to digest milk. Then, if a lactose intolerant person consumes milk, he would become very sick and sometimes die. When some ancient humans had mutations in their genes that made them become lactose tolerant, they were then able to consume milk and cheese even in times when food was scarce. They also passed this same ability to their descendants who also became lactose tolerant and so would not die or fall ill if they consumed cheese or other dairy products.
Preservation and Efficiency
Cheese offered ancient humans survival advantages by providing a source of preserved and concentrated nutrition, longer shelf life for dairy products, and a means of utilizing milk from domesticated animals efficiently. Cheese provided several key survival advantages to ancient humans. First, it allowed for the preservation of milk and its nutrients over an extended period. In pre-refrigeration eras, milk quickly spoiled, but the process of cheese-making involves fermentation and removal of moisture, making it less perishable. This meant that ancient people could store valuable dairy nutrients for times when fresh milk was scarce.
Second, cheese offered a means of utilizing milk from domesticated animals more efficiently. Milk production in livestock animals often exceeded immediate consumption needs, and cheese production allowed for the conversion of excess milk into a portable, long-lasting, and nutrient-dense food source.
Portability and Nutrient Content
Lastly, cheese was more portable and suitable for long journeys or nomadic lifestyles than liquid milk, making it an essential component of the diets of ancient pastoral and agrarian societies. Its concentrated calories and protein content made it a valuable addition to the human diet and contributed to the survival and sustenance of ancient communities.