In article >, Frogleg
> wrote:

> On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 22:22:54 GMT, "Cookie Cutter"
> > wrote:
>
> My belief (unsubstantiated by research) is that we have a fondness for
> calorie-dense foods -- fat & sweet -- because plain ol' calories
> supported life. A carrot is beneficial in terms of fiber and vitamin
> A, but it doesn't contribute much to keeping the internal fires
> burning. The Irish potato famine was devastating in part because many
> people were existing on a diet of potatoes and damned little else.
> They weren't particularly healthy, but potatoes supplied calories and
> most vitamins, and could support life for some time with occasional
> supplements of meat, fat, bread, and other veg.

Sorry, frogleg, I'm not picking a fight (promise) and shall be glad to
have a beer with you some day but this is totally wrong - in fact the
opposite of the truth. One of the most interesting points made in
Leslie Clarkson's book "Feast and Famine: a history of food and
nutrition in Ireland 1500-1920" is that the pre-famine Irish diet of
almost nothing but potatoes, (supplemented very occasionally by
herrings, cabbage, or bacon) was an extremely healthy one, with a very
good supply of very high-quality protein. The strapping good looks and
health of Irish peasants were frequently commented on. The one thing it
was a bit low on was fat (though obviously the herrings and bacon
supplied this).


In fact the Irish were much worse off nutritionally after the famine
was over, when they shifted the diet away from the almost exclusive
potato diet. I was myself very surprised by this, I must admit, but
I've talked to the author about it and he is totally convincing.

>
> So how many balanced, nutrition-complete diets have there been in
> history?

I think most peasant societies develop an extremely healthy diet, and
unhealthy diets are a feature a few very rich countries. It can't be a
coincidence that the US has perhaps both the worst food tastewise and
nutritionally, until you get to some pretty poor places. Interestingly,
othere very rich countries such as Japan and Italy have a very
well-balanced diet.

Certainly when I travel south and east from Italy I'll have to go a
long long way (In Ethiopa/sudan, the result of war and corruption,
rather than native choice) before I'll find anything other than a
delicious, well-balanced diet.

Lazarus

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