>So, I guess I'm wondering if we are supposed to mimic  hunter/gatherers, why do  some here only promote >meat/fat?   Why do we surmise about the diets of dead hunter/gatherers when there are living tribes we can learn >from?   Even the Inuit, and the Pacific Northwest tribes stuff themselves with berries, sorrel, and other seasonal >offerings, even if the majority of their fare is
>meat/fat/fish/blubber for most of the year.  


There is no question that humans are omnivorous and can survive on a broad range of foods.  The issue is really one of insulin and its impact on health.  For me (I was Type II diabetic), changing my diet to low carb helped a great deal, changing to a low-carb paleo diet helped even more, and through trial and error I have learned that I thrive on a near zero-carb diet.

For those who do not have insulin-related health issues, eating a broad range of foods is ok.  It depends on the individual.  Hunter-gatherers, eating their natural diet, are not exposed continuously to high levels of refined carbohydrates...and therein lies teh difference.  For me, a Yanomamo diet would not work whereas a diet similar to that of the Inuit or Plains Indians does, but only because my system is already compromised.

I will say though, that when given a choice, all hunter-gatherers about which I have read will choose animal-sourced foods over plant foods.  This is not always a economical option though...the Kung are a good example.  They prize meat but eat a large amount of plant-based foods because they have to.