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| You are what you eat.'' Today that phrase may seem as obvious as "the earth is round," but at times both have their share of skeptics. This chapter looks at the food-health connection from its earliest days to the present, from ages-old traditions to cutting-edge scientific research. |
| THE KEYS |
| The ancients knew about food's healing powersbut then science forgot. Modern medicine has slowly rediscovered nutrition. Plants hold the key to good health. The Food Guide Pyramid offers a new architecture for eating well. There's more than one way to build a pyramid: you'll discover what alternative diets offer and how to substitute for what they may leave out. |
| The History of Healing Foods |
| Our earliest ancestors subsisted on a plant-rich diet, occasionally supplemented by meat or fish. No one thought of this regime as "healthy"; it was simply a matter of necessity. McDonald's was not an option. Starvation, however, was a very real possibility, and it led people to try eating almost anything they could get their hands on or spears into. |
| So, too, with the early use of plants as medicine; necessity drove early peoples to experiment with herbs, seeds, fruits, and vegetables to treat ailments. They carefully observed and remembered which foods were effective and passed this information on from generation to generation. For example: |
| The ancient Egyptians treated infections, headaches, and other ailments with garlic; a document from 1500 B.C. includes more than two hundred prescriptions using garlic! |
| Ancient Greeks and Romans used apples to treat congestion, fever, flu, and other illnesses. |
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