Alan:
>It makes no difference as nuts are essentially seeds..and are
>not meant to be eaten really (unless they use the "host" as
>a means of propagating..and are thus indigestible if not chewed).

Since when is anything "meant to be eaten"? Yes, I am well aware of the
relationship between fruit and seed dispersal--which, by the way, is simply
something that has worked evolutionarily, not anything intentional. Any
more than the relationship between flowering plants and insects means that
nectar is "meant" for insects because they pollinate. It works. And plenty
of insects eat plenty besides nectar and pollen. Just as mammals eat a huge
variety of plants and animals--humans being perhaps the most omnivorous of
all mammals, certainly the most omnivorous primate.

Seeds, eggs (reptilian, avian, crustation, and fish), nuts, and fetuses in
dead mammals--all are prized meals for particular mammals at particular
times. Nearly all plant parts (tuber, leaves, buds, stems, etc.) are edible
at times by particular animals. None of it is "meant to be eaten".

The only thing I can imagine that was meant for me to eat was my mother's
breastmilk (and perhaps my loved one's secret fold's but that's only
figurative ;)).

Alan, I suspect you may be mixing up your nutritional ideas with your
"spiritual" ideas. Fine, but you seemed to have crossed a logical line in
the sand telling others not to eat nuts because of your arbitrary ideas
(ideals?) which attribute intent to lunch.

>> (3) Could it be, since they are so different, that some nuts have
>>     enzyme inhibitors as well, while some don't?
>
>They might look different but their purpose in Nature is identical.
>Thus they stand to gain nothing by being chewed and digested.
>(some obviously use the digestive system of birds and apes etc.
>to propagate but are not..or not all..chewed by these species and thus
>leave their bodies in much the same state as they entered).

So? Primates eat anything which is attractive to their smell and taste and
care nothing for your notions of whether nuts are meant to be eaten. FTR,
some primates are able to shuck nuts and eat them. Probably to you this
means that they are eating something wrong, eh? ;)

>In other words, they produce the enzyme inhibitors to prevent themselves
>from being digested..meaning unless we neutralise them..all seeds
>are a useless burden on our digestive system and can even interefere
>with the digestion of other similar foodstuffs (if the enzyme trypsin,
>which the body uses to process protein is inhibited, for example, the
>person would have a digestive problem with all other proteins eaten
>in the same meal).

You over-generalize way too much IMO. Every food consumed is a trade off
between digestional energy and nutritional benefits. Even if none of the
protein in nuts or seeds was assimilated, there is much more to a nut than
protein--there are important fats, minerals, etc. And if you are literally
starving for these other nutrients (as many raw vegans are, as well as for
protein) then they are probably going to be a useful addition to the diet
(though those with impaired digestion resulting from the overconsumption of
fruits may not find much assimilation of nuts happening). Probably much
better for a person in this situation to eat some fish roe, but if one has
decided that such food is "wrong"...? Nuts may be better than nothing. But
perhaps they will listen to you tell them that nuts are "wrong" too? Such a
puzzle, eh? ;)

Cheers,
Kirt

Secola  /\  Nieft
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