Nothing New Under The Sun
May. 1st, 2004 10:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
omorkaSo I had a realization during dinner . . .
There are two camps, currently, on how one should eat to remain slim and healthy.
The first camp, and the slightly older of the two, believes that a healthy diet should be based on whole grains, minimally processed. For the protein base, they suggest pulses and beans. For vitamins and bulk, one should eat vegetables, both of the green and leafy type and of the more starchy variety. For animal protein, they suggest dairy products and eggs in moderation, and a small amount of meat - preferably poultry, with pork or red meat a rare treat. Cooking fats should be of vegetable origin, with olive oil favored for a flavoring fat.
The second camp eschews grains or starchy vegetables. They claim that the bulk of one's diet should be leafy vegetables and lean meats. Dairy products are okay, although not in large quantity - yogurt made from skim milk is good. If one must have sugars, better they be as fruit. Vegetable fats are not privileged over, say, butter.
Now, what does this resemble?
These are the eating habits of the early agriculturalists of Old Europe and the Indo-European herder cultures, respectively!
After all this time, these two early European cultures are at war again.
Then we have the Caveman Diet, for those who prefer the Neanderthal approach . . .
There are two camps, currently, on how one should eat to remain slim and healthy.
The first camp, and the slightly older of the two, believes that a healthy diet should be based on whole grains, minimally processed. For the protein base, they suggest pulses and beans. For vitamins and bulk, one should eat vegetables, both of the green and leafy type and of the more starchy variety. For animal protein, they suggest dairy products and eggs in moderation, and a small amount of meat - preferably poultry, with pork or red meat a rare treat. Cooking fats should be of vegetable origin, with olive oil favored for a flavoring fat.
The second camp eschews grains or starchy vegetables. They claim that the bulk of one's diet should be leafy vegetables and lean meats. Dairy products are okay, although not in large quantity - yogurt made from skim milk is good. If one must have sugars, better they be as fruit. Vegetable fats are not privileged over, say, butter.
Now, what does this resemble?
These are the eating habits of the early agriculturalists of Old Europe and the Indo-European herder cultures, respectively!
After all this time, these two early European cultures are at war again.
Then we have the Caveman Diet, for those who prefer the Neanderthal approach . . .
