Todd Moody wrote: >Some legumes are in fact edible raw, and other primates >actually eat them during part of the year. Immature ones >generally have fewer toxins and antinutrients, and are edible. >Snow peas, for example. (etc.) >Having said all that, it's pretty clear that legumes were not a >*staple* food during paleolithic times. Like nuts and berries, >and probably certain grains, they would only have been eaten >during a short period of time of the year, when the beans were at >just the right stage of immaturity. So I tend to think of >legumes as minor "adjunct" foods. Thanks, Todd; great info! I see it pretty much the same as you do. I think many people can do fine with a smidgen of legumes but others need to avoid at all costs. So do what's right for you. Maybe Ray feels pain in his joints after a $.99 bag o' peanuts. I don't, so I eat them every now and then. But when I go to a Mexican restaurant to enjoy fajitas without the tortillas and promise myself just a bite or two of beans, it's very, very hard to stop. And I immediately begin to feel bloated. And we all know that beans are the musical food. So yeah, I eat a few peanuts. Don't keep them in the house, though. But if I've got a hankering for a dee-LISH-us Thai dish, I cook up some chicken and onions, smother 'em in coconut milk and some (gasp!) peanut butter, then add some curry and I'm a very happy girl. To each her own. But I would argue that since legumes were only available part of the year they should only be a rare side dish. It seems to add up. Dori Zook Denver, Co _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp