This question may be a little outlandish, but how did people know what foods to eat?

Question

When the first humans emerged, how did they know what foods were safe, and which were poison? I know there's probably no answer to this, but what do you guys think?

Answer 1

Senses and trial and error.  Thinks that have gone bad smell bad to us because our senses have evolved to send that signal to our brain.  It's the same with all animals.  Have you ever seen a dog reject food based on smell? Same idea.

Trial and error also comes into play.  Early humans were starting an omnivorous diet so they tried all kinds of different foods.  if it killed or made one of the tribe sick they knew not to eat that again, and mothers showed their children, and so on.

Answer 2

They learned from their parents, as all creatures must do.

Answer 3

guess and check.

animals, evolution had alot to do with this, ate food from places, if they didnt die they brough offspring with them there.

people see that cooking food prevented illnesses, and that some foods got you sick, others killed.  then they stayed away from that stuff.