Many thousands of years ago, people ate whatever they could find.
They hunted and fished. They gathered fruits and nuts. A few hunter-gatherer cultures still exist in remote spots in the world. But about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, in western Asia, something happened that changed the way most people ate. People began to settle down and plant crops. Because different foods grew better in different areas, local cuisines developed. They were based on what grew locally. They were also based on people’s nutritional needs.
