On Mon, 12 Nov 2001 22:41:59 -0500, Hilary McClure <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>Amadeus, I just happened to read the chapter on ancient Egyptians in
>Eades's first book, Protein Power. ..
> The huge number of mummies
>available for study show widespread obesity, calcified atherosclerosis,
>and hypertension, as well as gum disease.

Due to the large number of mummies we have (much more from richer than from
poorer people) we can see a lot of diseases in the conservated corpses.
From most other cultures we can see the bones only.
Egyptians had a lot of diseases, as you tell. Cancer, infections, parasites.
But obesity? The mummies I personally have seen were not obese.

>This seems to indicate that the health problems of whole-grain-based
>diets are not just related to the antinutrients (lectins, phytates, and
>protein-mimics) and the lack of many important nutrients (proper
>proteins, taurine, b-12 and other vitamins), but also include the many
>insulin-related problems.

I would even say, that antinutient diseases are nearly absent.
The people had proper processing. Few examples like the "lindow man"
show a phytate problem (from "unleavened bread").
The frequent diseases are IMO really related to poor nutrition in some
vitamins. Particularly vitamin C and A and maybe b-12.
Insulin? Compare grain bread andlentils to beef and fish at
http://venus.nildram.co.uk/veganmc/isgs.gif

There is no danger of a protein deficit or taurine or what the author
of protein power of course comes to mind first.
Egyptian people like all old grain/legume based civilasation are likely
to have had more protein in the food as modern western dieters,
even though today's add a day's amount of protein from meat.
But grain/legume culture had no pure calorie items *without* protein.
Like today is frequent with fat, sugar, white flour.

We don't have to forget that the egyptian culture is one of the first
attempts to sustain a whole civilisation with nearly one sole fuel (wheat)
instead of a large mixed variety, as humans always had.

This is the approach we western civilisation still have, with only the
little exception that the wheat is fed to few species of farm animals.

You inspired me to look into the archeological references again
and particularly onto insulin topics.
However "protein power" I don't count among interesting for archeology.

regards,
Amadeus