[ExI] More evidence for incomplete human adaptation to, grain-based diets

[lists1 at evil-genius.com]

On 11/16/10 6:54 PM, extropy-chat-request at lists.extropy.org wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 10:46 PM,<lists1 at evil-genius.com>  wrote:
>> >  This genetic argument is perhaps the strongest
>> >  evidence to support Yudkin's observation that humans are incompletely
>> >  adapted to the consumption of cereal grains."
> That's evidence that some people don't tolerate gluten well, but it's
> not proof that nobody does. It's also proof that we've started to
> select for grain tolerance. Paleo diet proponents--at least the ones
> I've read so far--argue that nobody should eat grains in any amount
> because our bodies can't handle them. Seems obvious to me that some
> people do just fine eating grains. I think a rational approach to take
> with regard to grains is: don't eat more than your body can tolerate.
> If you've got celiac, cut out gluten--but not gluten-free grains. If
> you have insulin resistance, cut back on them drastically. If you're
> diabetic, skip them altogether except for a weekly indulgence,
> perhaps.

But why would you eat grains, composed of empty calories and 
anti-nutrients, when you could eat delicious meats composed of necessary 
amino acids, fats, and nutrients, or tasty vegetables composed of fiber 
and nutrients?

The argument that "they aren't harmful to SOME people" isn't a reason to 
voluntarily choose them if you have the means to choose more nutritious 
foods.

(Grains, particularly corn and soybeans, are indeed cheap, mostly 
because they're heavily subsidized by our government...we are therefore 
deliberately creating the very health problems we wring our hands about.)

NB: I'm a terrible paleo eater: I eat sushi (oh no! rice!), sandwiches 
with a bun (albeit composed of over half a pound of meat, usually 
grass-fed), and burritos with a tortilla (albeit composed entirely of 
meat and veggies, no beans/rice).  So I'm in no position to make a 
purist argument.  I'm voluntarily choosing something that is most likely 
somewhat bad for me.  But that's fine, because I'm active enough that I 
can get away with some quantity of empty calories.