I can see I need to do some convincing regarding the expense and
production limits of Paleo foods. Consider what Loren Cordain wrote:
"Fresh fruits and vegetables cost more than beans and white rice. Lean
pork tenderloin and turkey breasts are more expensive than potatoes and
bread. The starchy foods of the Agricultural Revolution are the world's
cheap foods. Grains, legumes, and tubers are the starchy foods that have
allowed our planet's population to balloon to more than 6 billion. ...
Without them, the world could probably support one-tenth or less of our
present population [which at the time of the book's publishing in 2001
would have come to about 620 million]; without agriculture's cheap starchy
staples, it is no exaggeration to say that billions of people worldwide
would starve.
It is unfortunate that for most of the world's people, the diet to which
they are genetically adapted now lies beyond their financial reach. The
foods decreed by our genetic heritage and the foods we all ate before the
Agricultural Revolution have now become the elite foods of wealthy,
priviledged countries." (The Paleo Diet, p. 217).
Cordain's estimate that 600 million (rounded for simplicity) or fewer
people could be supported by Paleo-like foods takes into account that
agriculture and technology would be used to produce most of the food.
That's clearly how he gets 600 million instead of the 100 million figure
that is the most generous estimate of true hunter-gatherers that the
planet could support. The only reason I mentioned the hunter gatherer
carrying capacity estimates earlier was that I didn't have an estimate of
the carrying capacity of agricultural Paleo-like foods because I hadn't
noticed Cordain's figure. Now that I have a credible estimate, if anyone
has a better one I hope you will share it with us.
Yes, agricultural production of Paleo-like foods can be increased to a
certain extent, but not sufficiently to feed anywhere near 6.5 billion
people. If Cordain's estimate is correct, than if even 11% of the world's
population decides that they want Paleo-like foods, the demand will
exhaust the supply, and the prices will have skyrocketed long before that
point.
No matter how you slice it, buying fresh meats, seafood, fruits and
vegetables will cost more overall than buying grains, legumes, tubers and
milk. Sure, you can find ways to economize and buy meat on special, but
you could also economize even more by buying grains in bulk. Why is it
that the poorest nations in the world eat tons of grains like rice? Rice
is obviously cheaper and more plentiful than meat.
Growing Paleo-food gardens and fruit and nut trees is a good suggestion
which I appreciate, but for those who don't own land or a greenhouse it is
not a solution. Not eating out, or taking food with you are also good
tips, where possible, but they still won't feed 6.5 billion people, or
even 650 million, on Paleo-like foods. I guess those of us in the know
will have to try to acquire land for gardens, fruit trees, hunting and
fishing, and weapons with which to defend ourselves against those who
would try to steal our food should the price increases make them very
valuable. Or save and invest our money so we will have enough should Paleo-
like food prices rise. Then pity those who do not have gardens or
plentiful savings.
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