>Just wondering whether the idea of a "balanced" diet somehow comes from the
>food pyramid brainwashing.

See more below.

>How do we know that 100% meat and fat diet isn't balanced while eating a
>little bit of several food groups is?

Long ago, an explorer spent significant time with a tribal people in
northernmost Canada.  He ate plenty of fat, a fair amount of meat and rarely
anything else for quite some time.  His health?  Outstanding.  I've racked
my brains for his name but am coming up blank.  I'd guess at least three
others on the list know who I'm talking about -- mind posting it?  Humans
both can and have lived on meat and fat alone for extended periods of time
with only stellar health to show for it.  Google this researcher's name and
you'll find plenty of support for this statement.  I can't remember where
I've tucked mine away.

>We got that idea from the "Recommended Daily Allowance" folks ie the
>government.  Why are we
>so willing to believe them on this issue but be suspicious about their
>darling food pyramid?

What, didn't you know that the US government is never wrong?  I probably
shouldn't even get started on this.  I have a great paper on this on my home
computer.  Contact me privately and I'll send both versions (it appeared
first in the journal Science, later in the New York Times magazine).  In a
nutshell, the USDA food pyramid was created by two attorneys from
then-Senator George McGovern.  And hey, Senators and attorneys never lie,
either.

Dori Zook
Denver, CO

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