The Unseen Legacy of Ancient Potatoes: A Tale of Human Adaptation Researchers have discovered evidence that the widespread cultivation of potatoes in the Andes thousands of years ago left an indelible mark on Indigenous Andean DNA.
The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals a remarkable adaptation to starch rich diets that has persisted to this day.
The salivary amylase gene (AMY1) plays a crucial role in starch digestion, and its presence or absence can significantly impact how efficiently an individual processes complex carbohydrates.