Great subject for a BS (blue smoke) thread. I get the impression that diet is one of the major categories of misinformation, on the Net and elsewhere. Every “authorative” source seems to contradict every other “authorative” source. Some theories are based on a clinical estimate of human nutritional needs, some on assumptions about early humans in an idealized “natural” state and many are based on what some particular industry has to sell.

I did some searching on the Net to see what might pass for actual independent information and haven't yet found much. I did run across a guy in California named Mark Blackburn—with an MBA! How's that for credentials in nutrition?—who looks as though he's at least tried to get some independent information together. Here's a link to his site where he also has references and links. He makes the case that homo sapiens are neither carnivores nor omnivores but are actually frugivores and cites studies documenting the health benefits of a diet of fruits and vegetables. He also piloted his boat from Toronto to Miami, Florida. His site is an interesting one to browse.

I also came across a page calling itself The Encyclopedia of Fruitarianism and Rational Living at the Fruitarian Universal Network site. I haven't spent much time there but they may have links to other information as well.

I still have my copy of John Robins' book and while I skipped over the first half of his book, dealing with the poor treatment of animals by agra-business, the chapters on the health damage caused by eating animal products were well researched and compelling. I haven't radically changed my diet as a result but it made me think I probably should have.

Maybe I'll have to look into this frugivore thing.

      - Mark