> Adrienne Smith wrote:
> ...  I'm also not sure that all this stuff about needing certain vitamins and
> nutrients is truly accurate.  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?

I agree that the food pyramid is bogus. However, the governments recomendations on vitamins is at least partialy valid. During WWII the US governemt experimented on soldiers. They would exclude a specific nurtient and see how long the test group could go before suffering health problems. They did this until they had identified all the chemicals that the human cannot live without. They did this so they could figure out what foods HAD to be included in the MRE's (Meals ready to Eat).

The governments initial stab at requirede nutrients has be subsequently backed up with less extream research. Due to the genome work done in the last few years scientists have a fairly solid idea what biochemical processes require each vitamin/mineral/fatty acid.

The recomended dail allowence I'm not so sure about. What each individual needs will be determined by genetics, diet, excersize and other environmental factors.

-Tad