On Thu, 6 Jun 2002 22:49:07 +1000, Phosphor <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>The paper by Holt and Brand-Miller, which i now have a copy of, does not
>give any kinds of details either.  they give no evidence of the proportion
>of plant v animal foods, only noting that "in the animal dominated diets of
>australian aborigines plants were subsidiaries, not dietary mainstays." [p.
>22].

Great reading, isn't it?
It's correct that they see the animals as the main staple.
There is reason for this: the areas which are left to aboriginals now, dry
outback are, in short desert. Or kind of. In deserts few plants are found.

However I noticed from the Tables (Table 1) that the plant foods were great
nutritive food items. You can take whatever and mix like you want and is
available, you'll end up in a nutrition good in protein, carbs, vitamins.
Would be easy as the only source. No, I don't think they did so, I think
they ate *anything* edible.
On the other hand, if you tried a nutrition with 77% animal food calories,
it's more difficult explain it in some aspects.
The biggest problem would be the macronutients with the protein part
probably approaching some physiological limits.
Why should they have stressed themselves so much when there a great
macadamias, fruit, and legumes available.

>what we do know, from the list i gave, is that they had quite a wide range
>of animals which provided suitable, and in some cases, abundant, sources of
>fat. a good emu, for example, with 10kg of back fat, gives an enormous
>90,000 calories in fat alone.

I suppose that such a egg sitting male emu would plan to use up his fat
himself. The fat would be there only in the first egg-sitting day and then
some time later go to zero.

>in the case of grubs, as you somewhat
>derisively call them, i read it was considered 6 gives enough energy for
>the day [seems a bit too little to me].

Why do you consider the word grub derisive? I mean it was your own word.
But apparently we share the same rating of preference for such animals.
They are perfect huntergather food items, probably the real original animal
food sources, but I despise them.
And apparently for bigger animals, may they be huntergather-like or not
(farmed animals) only I despise them and you like them.
Grubs and maggots are shurely a great food resource for all huntergatherers.

>The variety of animals available
>ensures
>a year-round supply of something or other.
>I wil post more as i find out.

I cannot imagine to that  extent of 77%.
But I'll watch to hear from you.

regards

Amadeus

em sorry for the bad spelling I encountered rereading some of my last posts