100 Million Years of Food

In 100 Million Years of Food Le takes readers on a historic and geographic tour of how different cuisines have evolved in tandem with their particular environments, as our ancestors took advantage of the resources and food available to them. There are few areas of modern life that offer as much information and advice, often contradictory, as diet and health: eat a lot of meat, don't eat meat; whole-grains are healthy, whole-grains are a disaster; and on it goes. Biological anthropologist Stephen Le cuts through the confusing mass of information to present the long view of our diet. In 100 Million Years of Food Le takes readers on a historic and geographic tour of how different cuisines have evolved in tandem with their particular environments, as our ancestors took advantage of the resources and food available to them. Like his mentor Jared Diamond, Le uses history and science to present a fascinating and wide-ranging tour of human history as viewed through what and how we eat. Travelling the world to places as far- flung as Vietnam, Kenya, Nova Scotia, and Iowa, Le visits people producing food using traditional methods as well as modern techniques, and looks at how our relationship to food has strayed from centuries of tradition, to mass- produced assembly lines dependent on chemicals that bring with them a host of problems. 100 Million Years of Food argues that our ancestral diets and lifestyles are the best first line of defense in protecting our health; the optimal diet is to eat what your ancestors ate. In this clear-cut and compelling book, we learn not only what to eat, but how our diets are the product of millions of years of evolution.

" A fascinating journey [with] a few salient conclusions: primarily that we'd all be a lot better off if we ate like our great-great-great grandparents." — National Post There are few areas of modern life that are as burdened by information and advice, often contradictory, as our diet and health. In 100 Million Years of Food, biological anthropologist Stephen Le explains how cuisines of different cultures are a result of centuries of evolution, finely tuned to our biology and surroundings. Travelling around the world to places as far-flung as Vietnam, Kenya, India, and the US, Stephen Le introduces us to people who are growing, cooking, and eating food using both traditional and modern methods, striving for a sustainable, healthy diet. In clear, compelling arguments based on scientific research, Le contends that our ancestral diets provide the best first line of defense in protecting our health and providing a balanced diet. Fast-food diets, as well as strict regimens like paleo or vegan, in effect highjack our biology, and ignore the complex nature of our bodies. In 100 Million Years of Food Le takes us on a guided tour of evolution, demonstrating how our diets are the result of millions of years of history, and how we can return to a sustainable, healthier way of eating. "[ 100 Million Years of Food] could constitute a paradigm shift regarding how we view food." — The Globe and Mail "Deliciously entertaining." —Jared Diamond, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the New York Times–bestselling author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and Collapse "Compelling and engaging." —Mark Kurlansky, New York Times–bestselling author of Salt