Study: Fruit and Honey Sugars Fueled Human Brain Evolution

A multi-centre study published in Science posits that natural sugars and starches from fruit and honey were essential for powering the rapid expansion of the human brain.

Researchers modeled glucose needs over four million years, finding that sugars provided over 25% of dietary energy, supporting brain metabolism before the widespread use of cooking.

While meat provided critical amino acids, the study argues that a dual-fuel strategy involving glucose-rich plants was necessary to support the growth of brains from 300g to 1,500g.