On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 14:25:47 -0500, Wally Ballou <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>  The claim is that there has
>been insufficient time for the majority of humans to adapt to the
>"technological" diet.

The most important statement, I think.
One generation is not enough to adapt to food extractions, preservation
chemicals, pesticides, hormones trans-fats, unusual fat amounts.

>There has obviously been SOME adaptation in
>general, and some more dramatic adaptations in specific groups.  However,
>comparing "adaptation" to lactose, with any possible adaptation to
>completely foreign foods such as grains hardly seems appropriate.

"Adaption" to cereal grain - as a staple - seems to have been done
through the brain and hands. Soaking, fermenting, heating.
A fact that is disregarded by many back-to-nature muesli people.

>After all, digestion of lactose is NORMAL for human infants.

Very true.
Well, for human milk.
Somehow I can't buy the lactose/lactase story.
Lactose (this is milk sugar) can be eaten in incredible high amounts
(several spoonfulls) with even beneficial effects on the gut.
Even normally lactose isn't wholly digested by humans
- friendly bacteria do a big part of this.

I think the actual problem for "lactose intolerants" is the milk protein.
I'd venture to predict: If such one would eat lactose-free milk protein,
then the same symptoms would arise.
Maybe most "lactose intolerants" could eat even eat a little pure lactose
- provided milk-protein free lactose existed.

> Adapting to
>the point of REATAINING this natural capacity is hardly comparable to
>developing the abilities to handle completely foreign foods which were
>never eaten by humans...

Which were these?
Some grains and legumes are inside the primate spectrum.
For humans, new would be new world food with < 11000 or even <500 years of
time to adapt. Tomatoes, capsicum, maize, eggplant, potatoes, peanuts.
? Maybe "never eaten" is not the right explanation ?

Goat milk had some 11000 years adaption time.
Cow milk had some 6000 years adaption time.
Sugar had 200 years adaption time (available for general population).
Heat processed cow milk had some 100 years adaption time.
Pesticides had some 50 years adaption time.

Free range domesticated cow meat had some 6000 years adaption time.
Meat from fed up cows had some 100 years adaption time.

A.S.