-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Swayze <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, December 31, 2001 10:13 AM
Subject: Re: [P-F] Cordain book disappointing


>Because we haven't fully given up the idea that dietary fat is bad,
>we tend to overemphasize the need for lean meats.  It should be obvious
that if
>we could live healthily on pemmican, nothing more than dried meat mixed
with a
>generous portion of fat, that there's something wrong with our overemphasis
on
>keeping dietary fat low.

JMO, but I think folks might be missing Cordain's point here. I think
there's a simple explanation for his emphasis on lean meats: since domestic
meat and poultry are *so* heavy on Omega 6, it stands to reason that he
would emphasize a switch to very lean meats in order to allow for
rebalancing the 6:3 ratio to one that more closely resembles the original
Paleo diet. Otherwise, if I keep eating, say, a lot of chicken thighs I'd
also have to swallow dozens of fish oil capsules or swill a gallon of flax
oil a day. Switching to boneless chicken breast plus "good" oils makes
rebalancing a lot simpler.

He suggests limiting total fat intake for those who need to lose a lot of
weight - a very generous (compared to most low fat diets) limit of 4 Tbsp.
of "good" oils and 4 oz. of nuts a day.

I didn't find the book disappointing at all.

Kathy