Todd Moody wrote:

 >The very fact that we have evidence of gathering grains as far
 >back as 17,000 years ago makes me ask: Why then?  Am I to believe
 >that people took up grain-eating at that time?  Why would they?
 >But I have no trouble believing that people ate grains
 >sporadically as soon as they moved into the habitats where the
 >grains were.  In fact, I think the basic rule of human diet has
 >been: exploit what's there to the maximum extent possible.

Except that grains are hard to harvest. Wild grains spontaneously pop off
the seeds as soon as they are ripe. With their points the seeds stick into
the ground. A lot of effort to pick up the seeds one by one. Foraging
theory says humans eat what is the least effort to get. Maybe about 17,000
years ago other foods became less plentiful?

Plus wheat isn't very palatable by itself. Today no one eats it without
adding at least adding oil. And usally more ingredients, like sugar.

Don.