C. James Strutz wrote:
>>>Positions and attitudes aside, what do you think humans were intended to
>>>eat and why?
>>
>>I'm not hung up on "original" diet nonsense because we're not a static
>>species. We're constantly evolving and adapting. Accordingly, I think
>>humans and other primates thrive on a varied diet. We are what we are
>>today because someone swinging in the old family tree decided to try
>>eating meat. That eventually led to greater and more complex brain
>>development (more so for some of us than others).
>>
>>http://www.fi.edu/brain/fats.htm
>
> Very interesting.

It is, and I think the concept of evolution -- dynamic adaptation and
physiological and genetic changes ultimately stemming from it -- shows
the folly of the peculiar suggestions made by dietary Luddites (e.g.,
vegan raw food advocates) that modern man should base his diet on either
what other primate species eat or what they think certain early hominids
ate.

Their arguments about comparative anatomy are specious because evolution
isn't linear, and it isn't even consistent within the same species. We
don't have claws our mouths filled with canines for shredding raw meat
because our brains evolved quickly enough that we had the cognitive
ability to develop tools like knives and we used fire to cook meat (and
plants that we couldn't eat without cooking).

> The theory is that brain function increased in humans when
> they began eating meat. Ultimately, it is the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty
> acids that are transformed into longer chained fatty acids which incorporate
> into brain cells.

Principally the omega-3. Plant-based foods are rich in omega-6 FAs.
Speaking with respect to contemporary health, most people have diets
with deficiencies in omega-3 and surpluses of omega-6. This FA imbalance
is associated with higher incidence of heart disease, neurological
issues, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid

And a site I use with a dose of caution:
Generally our diet contains far to much omega 6 fats. Experts
looking at the dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
suggest that in early human history the ratio was about 1:1.
Currently most Americans eat a dietary ratio that falls between
20:1 and 50:1. The optimal ratio is most likely closer to the
original ratio of 1:1. For most of us this means greatly
reducing the omega-6 fatty acids we consume and increasing the
amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

Please recognize that we get ALL the omega-6 and omega-9 fat we
need from food. We do NOT need to take any supplements for these
fats. Many of the omega fat supplements you see in health food
stores will only serve to worsen your health, not improve it as
they contain omega 6 fats which will worsen your omega-6 to
omega-3 ratio.
http://www.mercola.com/2002/mar/27/omega3_fats.htm

> Today we know that there are sources of essential fatty
> acids other than meat.

Not all fatty acids are created equal. I addressed this issue a couple
weeks ago. The differences between the plant-based and animal-based FAs
are substantial, and the research seems to confirm it. Flax isn't a
direct substitute for the FAs found in oily cold-water fish because the
omega-3 FAs in the flax are short-chained and because the flax contains
a tremendous amount of omega-6. In comparison, fish oils are
long-chained and have a lot more omega-3 than omega-6.

http://efaeducation.nih.gov/sig/esstable.html

> Early humans must have eaten plant based foods that
> also contained essential fatty acids: green leafy vegetables, seeds, and
> nuts. I wonder if they just didn't get them in sufficient quantity until
> they began eating meat.

Meat's nutrients are concentrated, especially when discussing fats and
fatty acids. A small serving of salmon or herring contains more EFAs
than a couple pounds of leafy greens.

> Eating a varied diet is good as long as you get enough essential fatty acids
> while avoiding trans fats, at least where it concerns the care and feeding
> of the brain.

Avoiding transfats is quite easy. Searching through BS hype about the
latest health fads to get to the truth takes more effort, but it's worth it.

> BTW, sorry to hear that the Astros were swept in the World Series. It was a
> great season to make it that far...

No complaints about it at all. I think their season and postseason
would've been more productive had they not tied up the entire winter in
pursuing Carlos Beltran. I hope they learned their lesson from that fiasco.

Here's to the Pens for finally winning last night.