I was recently in Palau and noticed something very interesting about their
diet.

It was, in my mind, very very "narrow."  Not a lot grows on the rock
islands--coconut, papaya, taro root are all that is "native."  There is lots
of coral reef fishing and clams, and traditionally, some eat the fruit bat.
The seafood is cooked or raw.  All other foodstuffs--rice, bananas, etc. are
not native and are imported and frankly pretty limited in variety as well.

What shocked me was that there was no veggies!  I really mean that!  A
little yellow-looking imported broccoli on the side at restaurants, but
basically NO veggies.

And I think you coud conclude from a modern diet this is bad, but fact is,
people were really very healthy, eating coconuts and fish and taro and
papaya ONLY at every meal every day for all their lives.  Oh yeah and betel
nuts with lime and pepper leaves!.

I visited a taro patch.  There are several kinds of plant and the whole
plant can be consumed.  The Palauan islands are really really ancient--300
million years comes to mind, but Im bad with 00's on numbers.  I think taro
may be native to the Carolines.  I think these fisherman have lived there
for tens of thousands of years, in fair isolation, eating only the
abovementioned diet.

I was interested in people:s health.  It seems most people eat only once a
day.  There has never been a starvation episode.

I am a little confused about the paleo vs. low-carb thing.  Clearly roots
have been around in the diets of ancient people for millenia.  So does that
mean roots are okay but grains do the harm?

What about the blood type thing...I eat potatoes but according to type O, I
shouldnt.

Does anyone know interesting stuff about Palauans and roots?

Thanks and I am really enjoying this list.
Judith
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