On Mon, 27 Dec 1999, alexs wrote:

> So what? Rhubarb shoots are edible in reasonable quantities,
> yet the leaves are considered toxic. We are talking about the
> *seeds* of industrial breeds and GMs of low-erucic oilseed rape
> and the oil extracted therefrom.

It's true, and I really don't have enough information to argue
the matter beyond this point.  I don't know, for example, that
all varieties of wild mustard have seeds that are toxic.  I don't
know that all the varieties used in the hybrids for making canola
oil are toxic.  It may be so.  If you would argue that this is
sufficient reason not to consume the stuff, I guess I would have
to agree.  It is hard to feel comfortable about eating something
with so little information.

> Canola or not, rapeseed erucic acid must be removed through
> refining, which by definition makes it unPaleo. EA is most
> definitely toxic, with acceptable levels being set by industrial
> lobby based on industry-sponsored, interest-conflicted
> "science", not truly objective toxicological studies or long-
> term human epidemiological research.

Again, I would need more information.  I understand that EA is
believed to have harmful effects but I don't know that all paleo
foods are devoid of it.

> As for the late Mr. "Did you ever eat a pine tree? Some
> parts are edible! Let-me-hawk-Grape-Nuts-cereal" Gibbons:
> I stalked that wild asparagus with the best of them,
> but concluded that, since Gibbons died of *stomach cancer*,
> he did not necessarily know what the hell we was
> doing... or that what he was eating was really healthful.

Well, we don't know that his stomach cancer was caused by his
foraging.  If we are going to play "post hoc" we should also
conclude that since V. Stefansson had a stroke, maybe he didn't
know what the hell he was doing either.  Although it may be
convenient for us to blame his stroke on his wife's desserts, as
Ray does in Neanderthin, we really are not in a position to know.
I agree, however, that Gibbons' claims should be taken with a
does of skepticism, as should Stefansson's.

Todd Moody
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