- BOOK · EVOLUTION, FOOD & HUMANITY
In Lucy’s Footsteps
A journey through human evolution exploring how food and animal proteins shaped our health, culture, and way of life, challenging common misconceptions through clear and accessible scientific evidence.
Evolution · Animal Proteins
In Lucy's Footsteps
Pietro Paganini
Carola Macagno
Perhaps not. Guided by Lucy, one of our earliest ancestors, the book takes readers on a remarkable journey to discover how meat and animal proteins contributed to human evolution, improved health and longevity, and shaped our culture and way of life. Scientific yet accessible, the book challenges prejudices and common misconceptions, helping readers better understand the role of meat today across nutrition, sustainability, and modern lifestyles.
Why Read In Lucy’s Footsteps?
In Lucy’s Footsteps explores the role that meat, and animal proteins more broadly, played in human evolution and continue to play in nutrition, culture, and society. Guided by Lucy, readers travel through science, history, and contemporary debates in an accessible and engaging way.
Shall We Start with the Basics?
What we eat shapes who we are. Proteins are the building blocks of life, and complete, highly bioavailable animal proteins have supported the growth and prosperity of human communities. In an age of abundance and polarized debate, the book invites us to restore balance and awareness to our food choices.
Environment and Sustainability
The debate surrounding meat’s environmental impact is intense, but often oversimplified. In Lucy’s Footsteps shows how farmers are adopting innovative and regenerative practices to reduce emissions, resource consumption, and waste, balancing quality production with the protection of ecosystems.
Food Safety and Animal Welfare
Europe has some of the world’s highest standards for food safety and animal welfare. Rigorous controls and traceability make meat not only safe, but also an integral part of a responsible and sustainable production model.
The Mediterranean Diet
Meat is not excluded from the Mediterranean model: it forms part of a varied, balanced, and seasonal diet. Within this approach, health comes from harmony among foods, not from elimination.
So, Why Lucy?
Lucy symbolizes our origins and reminds us that food has always been a story of adaptation and discovery. Today, she invites us to look to the future through informed choices: continuing our journey with meat, but with respect, balance, and responsibility.