[log in to unmask] wrote:
> There was nothing to stop paleoman from chewing the beans, or even crushing and boiling the dried beans.
> 
> That can be used to justify consuming ANYTHING.

Sure, but you can be sure that paleo man /did/ consume anything
that was in his environment, could be consumed without neolithic
processing, and consumption of which had any benefit.  After all
paleo man had 2 million years+ to discover what was of benefit.
If chewing coffee beans (native to The Horn of Africa) has health 
benefits in addition to the benefits of which we know, then you 
can bet paleo man chewed them.

:j