on 4/25/01 7:11 PM, Rick Strong at [log in to unmask] wrote:

> A huge proportion of  our (and
> the world's) population subsists on a starch dominated diet because of the
> economic mandate of the supply system.

I think this has a lot to do with why governments recommend a grain-based
diet. (And I'm specifically talking about North America here.)

So long as the 'official healthy diet' is based on grain, with some fresh
vegetables and a small amount of meat/dairy products, the government can
tell people that they can feed their family a healthy, wholesome diet for
$X/week. And they can throw in all the morality stuff about wasting money on
processed foods.

But, if the official healthy diet is based on meat (and especially
non-factory meat) with smaller amounts of fresh vegetables and fruit, no
grains, no dairy, no tofu, and designed to meet the protein requirements of
active people, not just the RDA, a weekly grocery bill becomes what? 2 x $X?
3 x $X?

Face it, no government official wants to stand up and tell a huge portion of
the population that all of a sudden they can no longer afford to feed their
families properly. And they're certainly not gonna raise welfare/food stamp
programs to a level where people can afford to eat grassfed beef and wild
salmon.


Irene