Paleo Phil wrote:
>> As Mark pointed out, the nightshades have been selectively bred for low
>> solanin content.  But they still contain this toxin.  I was surprised
>> to
>> learn that peppers have as much of it as they do.
>>
>> Todd Moody
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>>     
>
> If nightshades were selectively bred to reduce toxin content, that indicates
> to me they were probably not eaten much, if at all, during the Paleolithic.
> Do you know why Cordain and Audette consider nightshades Paleo?
>   
A further fact is that tomatoes and many peppers (including bell 
peppers) at least are New World foods, and so didn't enter the human 
diet until the Americas were inhabited--and didn't enter the European 
diet until a few centuries ago.  I'm not sure what Cordain says about 
it, but Ray Audette basically takes the view that they pass the "sharp 
stick" test, and so are paleo.  This, of course, gets it backwards, 
since the sharp stick test is supposed to give an idea of what paleo 
people might have eaten, but shouldn't trump other information that 
tells us what they couldn't have eaten.  My suspicion is that both 
authors allow these foods because tomatoes and peppers are low in carbs 
and are used in many recipes.  To forbid them would make the diet more 
fanatically restrictive than it already is, and few would follow it.  
It's one thing when you say no bread, no pasta, no rice, no spuds; just 
meat and vegetables.  When you then add, no peppers, no tomatoes, no 
eggplant, I think you end up with no dieters.

Todd Moody
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