Loren Cordain wrote:
>        Although Richard Lee (1) and others have suggested that the average
>macronutrient content of all world wide hunter gatherers ...

>... i.e. contemporary hunter-gatherers who may not be representative of
>paleolithic ones. The former have largely been forced aside by other
>populations while the latter could choose the best habitats for themselves.

>... was derived
>from a subsistence pattern of 35% animal food and 65% vegetable food,
>it has been shown that these figures are likely erroneous (2).  ... ...
>
>        Clearly, the carbohydrate content of the average paleolithic diet
>varied according to geographic location, latitude and season; however
>in aggregate, it almost certainly was significantly lower than the 55%
>carbohydrate recemmended by the American Heart Association Diet.

I agree. But if, in some of their habitats during evolution, they depended
on vegetables we would expect them to have preserved their capacity to
handle considerable amounts of carbohydrate. As Loren notes, the available
carbohydrates were, compared to typical Western ones, of low glycemic index
and the foods in question were rich in soluble fiber (which is quite
different than cereal fiber in regard to metabolic effects). Such
carbohydrate-rich foods would also have been high in minerals and vitamins,
some of which may be of considerable importance to prevent common Western
disorders. The probable depletion of these minerals and vitamins in many of
our contemporary high-tech plant foods could further exaggerate any
differences in the intake of these nutrients. Finally, dietary allowances
may differ substantially due to other differences in lifestyle.

In conclusion, it takes a lot more to convince me to stop eating plenty of
fruit, nuts and saturating vegetables.