On Sun, 29 Jul 2001 16:58:17 -0500, Marylee <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary -
>Paleo:
>"Greek palai-, palaio- ancient, from palai long ago; 1 : involving or
>dealing with ancient forms or conditions <paleobotany>; 2 : early :
>primitive : archaic <Paleolithic>"
>
>Since the definition of paleo is restricted to a meaning of "very old," any
>diet that avoids Neolithic foods should adequately fit the definition.

What is a "paleo"-diet? Or a paleolithic diet?
A diet that has been eaten in the paleolithicum.
That's the old stone age.
That's from the beginning of stone tool making (would be some 4.5 mio years
ago) up to mesolithic ages.
The reasoning is that we as humans would have aquired
adaptions in our genes to food items and compositions.
This means we have to look far back, because genetic changes happen
very slow. And we have to rule out populations not in the
genetic line of our anchestry.

That leaves not much from today's kitchens.
Remember, fire only for the last 350,000 years.

The definition of "what is paleo" I like best is:

"Eat like naked with a stick and a stone"

Basically it's from Ray Audette.
I feel best with it when I'm harvesting some black currant from my garden.

Peter wrote:
>.. avoiding
>all animal foods per definition is not paleo.

Where is that definition you are speaking about?

Amadeus