Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and CultureWhy are human food habits so diverse? Why do Americans recoil at the thought of dog meat? Jews and Moslems, pork? Hindus, beef? Why do Asians abhor milk? In Good to Eat, bestselling author Marvin Harris leads readers on an informative detective adventure to solve the world's major food puzzles. He explains the diversity of the world's gastronomic customs, demonstrating that what appear at first glance to be irrational food tastes turn out really to have been shaped by practical, or economic, or political necessity. In addition, his smart and spirited treatment sheds wisdom on such topics as why there has been an explosion in fast food, why history indicates that it's "bad" to eat people but "good" to kill them, and why children universally reject spinach. Good to Eat is more than an intellectual adventure in food for thought. It is a highly readable, scientifically accurate, and fascinating work that demystifies the causes of myriad human cultural differences. |
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Page 36
... fiber , which paradoxically is not a nutrient . Fiber adds bulk and roughage to the content of the large intestine , stimulates peri- stalsis , and is excreted without being digested . The evidence which links diets that are deficient in ...
... fiber , which paradoxically is not a nutrient . Fiber adds bulk and roughage to the content of the large intestine , stimulates peri- stalsis , and is excreted without being digested . The evidence which links diets that are deficient in ...
Page 37
... fiber , binds to potential carcinogens and aids in their excretion . While fiber deficiency has become a serious problem in affluent indus- trial societies , throughout history and prehistory the problem has been too much rather than ...
... fiber , binds to potential carcinogens and aids in their excretion . While fiber deficiency has become a serious problem in affluent indus- trial societies , throughout history and prehistory the problem has been too much rather than ...
Page 38
... fiber long antedate the discovery of a possible linkage with cancer . This was due to the discovery that the fibrous outer covering of wheat , rice , and other cereals is a major source of vitamin B1 . As a result of a preference for ...
... fiber long antedate the discovery of a possible linkage with cancer . This was due to the discovery that the fibrous outer covering of wheat , rice , and other cereals is a major source of vitamin B1 . As a result of a preference for ...
Contents
ONE Good to Think or Good to Eat? | 13 |
TWO Meat Hunger | 19 |
THREE The Riddle of the Sacred Cow | 47 |
Copyright | |
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American amount animal foods Aztecs became become beef better body calcium calories camel cannibalism carried cattle CHAPTER consume consumption contain continued cooked costs cultures dead developed diet dingoes disease dogs domesticated drinking eaten efficient enemy entirely Europe European example explanation fact farmers feed fish flesh four give goats grain groups hamburgers Hindu horsemeat horses human hunting important increase Indians insects killing kind lack lactose lactose intolerance land less levels live means meat milk natural never nutritional percent pets plant population pork pounds practice preference Press prevent prisoners problem protection protein raising reason relatives remains result rickets sheep skin slaughter societies species supply taboo things United University vegetables village vitamin warfare women York