Lost ancient Nutrition

Other relevant linked pages include: On the benefits of Ancient Diet | Paleolithic Nutrition

From the beginning of time man has evolved on 3 foods Protein, fat and carbohydrate, or nitrogen hydrogen and oxygen, harvesting crops gave the birth of civilization the arts leisure.

The Sumerians learned that working collectively together once surplus was achieved which was more than for his families needs and sustenance trade developed. The cradle of civilization born was in Babylon 5000 BC between the Euphrates rivers the Ancients had a good social structure where the learned skills were passed on to improve the next generation.

The Egyptians, carried on the skills of effective nutrition where possessing was unthinkable. From very early times man new of his needs working within nature, the Greeks previously a sea faring people soon adopted and mastered irrigation and using natures own products to cure diseases, indeed to this day we hold Hippocrates as the father of medicine who used in nature for the effects on man, “Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food” 

The Romans are where we get a favourite elaborate dishes from, they introduced various game and fowl nuts and seeds to Britain and many mannerisms we still have today like the napkin, olive oil and linseed oil was once brought fresh from a street seller, fascination was placed on the human frame and the Greeks depicted great physiques of statues. The Romans sculptors were fine proportioned figures as with all the great goodness comes the poison of which it is an inseparable part. The Romans brought us city states which at the time we were still hunter gathers, we become citizens of the city with that more and more chose city life for its prospects of a better life, now we have become city bred and city fed. Grains nuts and seeds have really been the staple foods in for the ancient civilisations certainly within the last 10,000 years knowingly or unknowingly created very healthy diets very cheaply using irrigation. 

One grain can produce itself a thousand fold 
on just water and the sun, 

The Sumerians created order amongst chaos developing clever irrigation systems with each person helping to build these systems would be paid in grain which was the first organisation to begin a law sharing out the wages (grain) with this he could trade (hummabis law still the basis today of law )
The Samarians were also the first to write using cuneiform later adopted by the Egyptians (hieroglyphics) they also developed the first counting system they used multiples of 10 and 6 (10x 6 = 60 ) they then divided these up into fractions .and which gives us 60 minuets and then 60 seconds 600x10 360 compass points.

But the main success was agriculture, flax wheat rice etc using food produced by the sun and where the name garden of Eden story originated due the location of Mesopotamia (Greek meaning between 2 rivers) the soil was very fertile. The Egyptians adopted the systems of nutrition also the Romans and Greeks, used oils nuts grains and seeds heart decease was not the problem then as it is today along with many diet related illnesses so it seems in our wisdom of avoiding wholesome foods spiraling national health problem 50% over weight and 50% die of heart disease. Polished rice was someone taking a good food and destroying it by bleaching it white for reasons of snobbery as white was seen as pure, virginal, in Tudor times white bread promoted snobbery the peasants food of pea porridge soup became more nutritious than the white sugar white bread white white the bleaching of nutrients we illness the lessons of beri beri through lack of a vitamin taken out in some dental cavities and health problems organisations trying to ban it in favour of brown as brown has all the vitamins and more lysine but a lower shelf life still unsure of the quality of non indigenous foods. Why did sir Walter Raleigh not bring back the reddish sweet potato as opposed to the bland white one?

As the little Chinese had only limited rich which provide inadequate protein unlike millet The Greek philosopher Pythagoras praised millet and urged his following vegetarians to eat millet to improve their heath and strength yet in spite of all the historical evidence to its value as a high quality nutritious food, modern dieticians in the west only became interested in this cereal after the first world war during the first world war when the troops had to defend us did we see we were a sick nation 

The RDAs were introduced which to this day have not even changed. For it became known the Russian peasants had resorted to eating the grain which in better days they fed their chickens not only did the Russians survive months on this sparse diet but enjoyed excellent health. 

The Sumerians and Egyptians seem to know something we never, what a wonderful nutritious food Omega 3,6,and 9 the benefits from using it are many as it’s the first essential fat (flax seed) is the lost ancient foods used by the Sumarians then the Egyptians then the Greeks and Romans and since then we seem to have lost it . Well researched with universal support for the use of Alpha omega 3 in linseeds (57%)Omega 6 (18%) and Omega 9 (16%) all seeds are reasonable protein source. Nuts have reasonable protein quality almonds being the best as in the book of genesis Jacob sent as a present to Joseph in Egypt.

Almonds traveled from Asia minor through north Africa eastern Mediterranean countries the Romans called in the Greek nut and copied their habits eating them before main banquets. Brazils, pecans, all good polyunsaturated oils. Pine nuts are a real delicacy for a curious nut taster. Never avoid fat from nuts (except perhaps coconut in large amounts) we need fats to form cells and many hormonal balances Complex carbohydrates (slow energy) Brown rice and Lintels provide excellent protein together. 

Quinoa used as the main staple high protein food in south America by the Incas and Aztecs known as the 'mother food' over 5000 years ago with its protein quality better than meat!!

The Rice and Pulse mix is the basis of the diet in the Indian subcontinent Brown rice is better than white due to its high Metheonine (amino acid) content millet is also used in Africa high protein grain it’s a porridge meal. Our best loved porridge oats is also used as cattle fodder is thought to be native from Eurasia (European /Asian continents) Peanuts are not nuts but a pulse also are a good protein source to eat with grains. Ignorantly overlooked as “costing peanuts” we again used it as cheap.

The American Indians found many virtues from its use 1000 years B.C found in Peruvian tombs dating back longer. High fibre helps reduce cholesterol, helps prevent piles keeps a healthy digestive system gives a feeling of fullness due to high water absorption

It was all in the apple Adam picked not the apple pie adam made.

Other relevant linked pages include: On the benefits of Ancient Diet | Paleolithic Nutrition