Re: evolution and diet

From: Lee Daniel Crocker (lee@piclab.com)
Date: Fri Apr 25 2003 - 13:30:35 MDT

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    > (gts <gts_2000@yahoo.com>):
    >
    > And this is exactly the kind of comment that differentiates those
    > who are interested in diet from those like you who seem to be
    > interested [in] arguing just for argument's sake.

    In the long run, refining the methods by which we acquire and evaluate
    information are far more important than how we happen to fuel our
    present form; but of course I am interested in that as well for the
    short-term.

    > > There is /mountains/ of evidence for
    > > the health benefits of dairy, grains, and beans, and gts
    > > knows this as well as anyone.
    >
    > No, I do not know this, Lee. There is no evidence that I've seen
    > that dairy, grains and legumes are healthy additions to the diet,
    > given that one must subtract paleo foods from the diet in order
    > to add them,...

    I agree with that statement, which has nothing to do with what I said.
    I said that there were mountains of evidence for the health benefits
    of dairy, grains, and legumes, and there are. You are correct that if
    I add your additional "given", then most if not all of those studies
    fall. But I find it interesting that you think adding that condition
    produces more valuable data, because the condition assumes paleo diet
    as a baseline, which is exactly what we're trying to establish.

    > If you disagree then don't be an ass: just post your evidence.

    As I said, I don't disagree with your statement: it merely has nothing
    to do with mine, and isn't as reliable a metric as you seem to think
    it is. It should hardly be necessary for me to support /my/ statement
    that dairy, grains, and legumes have health benefits: we've all heard
    them for years. But just to be fair, here's a few I happened to grab
    in five minutes of googling around the USDA (yes, they all fail to
    meet /your/ standard, but that's what we're trying to make sense of):

      Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2002
        Teens who didn't drink milk at all fell short of the daily
        Recommended Dietary Intake of vitamin A and three minerals
        essential for healthy bones--calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

      Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2002
        Americans who eat meals high in carbohydrate (particularly whole grains)
            consume less fat, carry less fat on their bodies, and achieve more of
            the daily recommended intakes for essential nutrients.

      Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 2000
        Whey and soy protein in the diet may help guard against breast cancer.

      Western Regional Research Center, 1999
        Rice bran, wheat bran may have cancer-protective effects similar to
        oat bran when processed properly.

      Western Human Nutrition Research Center, 2002
        New moms who eat more carbohydrates in relation to fats during the
            months they are breastfeeding may have higher levels of leptin in
            their blood, which may help prevent retention of extra weight.

      Journal of Nutrition, 2001
        Estrogen-like compounds in soybeans may reduce hot flashes and vaginal
            dryness and increase bone density in women after menopause.

      American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
        Soy protein lowers men's cholesterol.

      Journal of Pediatrics, 2001
        Calcium-fortified cereals improve kids' calcium absorption without
            harming iron absorption.

      Journal of Pediatrics, 2000
        Teens who reported diets rich in fiber (including whole grains and
        beans) and low in total fat consumed more vitamins and minerals and
        less total cholesterol and saturated fat than their peers.

      Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 1999
        Japanese diets, on average, contain about 10 times more soy than North
        American diets, and the Japanese have a lower incidence of cancer and
        heart disease. This study shows that the nutrient genistein may play a
        part by helping to regulate cell communication.

      Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, 1999
        Soy sterols lower cholesterol even more than low-fat diet.

      ARS Sugarbeet and Bean Research Unit, 1999
        Bean coats contain the same anti-oxidants credited with cancer- and
            heart-disease fighting properties of red wine, fruits, and vegetables.

    -- 
    Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lee/>
    "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past,
    are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified
    for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
    


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