Page 69 - Summer2009

All Thumbs Book Reviews

them herself? Adult knowledge dawned in her, a premium price. They do not have the well-
that “predators” and “prey” could apply equally being of the world’s hungry foremost in their
to all life forms, depending on when. All life mind, despite disingenuous “corporate pledges”
IRUPV ¿W LQWR D FLUFOH RI SURGXFHUV FRQVXPHUV that claim otherwise (see monsanto.com, cargill.
and degraders. We all need to eat and in the end com, and adm.com for some truly outrageous
we all need to be eaten. rhetoric about their “values,” which are in com-
plete opposition to their behavior).
POLITICAL VEGETARIANS Monsanto is buying up seed companies and
Political vegetarians argue that it’s unethi- patenting every seed it can, thus stealing for their
cal to wastefully feed animals tons of grain that own intellectual property the work of generations
could feed hungry humans throughout develop- of farmers worldwide over the centuries. They
ing nations. Keith exposes the ignorance of this sue poor farmers who try to save patented seed
argument on several counts. First, we shouldn’t from year to year. Do we really think it’s a good
be feeding animals grain in feedlots; they should idea to make the entire world dependent on a
be eating grass on pasture and returning nutrients handful of plants owned by a handful of utterly
in the form of urine and manure to build the soil. ruthless companies?
Second, much of the world isn’t suitable for in-
tensive grain cultivation and we’ve almost tapped NUTRITIONAL VEGETARIANS
out the topsoil in the places that are suitable. Even This chapter will be thoroughly familiar
with increasing crop yields, we’ll run out of oil to to regular readers of this journal. Keith learned
make synthetic fertilizer and transport the grain through hard experience that her animal body
around the world. Third, a grain-based diet will needed the food it evolved to eat. Nutrient-dense
only keep these people malnourished (see the animal foods rich in complete protein, saturated
“Nutritional Vegetarians” chapter). fat, cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins, and miner-
Finally, the argument about human starva- als allowed our brains to increase in size while
tion is simply a smoke screen for Big Ag. Hungry our digestive tracts shrank millions of years
nations don’t need our food aid; they need us to before we domesticated grains. We are no longer
stop the subsidized exports and strong arm trade vegetarian primates like the gorillas.
negotiation tactics that demolished their native Keith also discusses the damage the grains
food systems and caused the starvation in the wreak throughout our bodies. Their opioids
¿UVW SODFH 0RQVDQWR &DUJLOO &RQ$JUD $UFKHU addict us and so we keep pulling down whole
Daniels Midland—these are the companies that ecosystems to spread them, but their sugars,
give us GMO corn and soybeans, promote junk starches, lectins, phytates, enzyme inhibitors
food dressed up as “nutraceuticals,” and set grain and phytoestrogens cause blood sugar swings,
prices below the cost of production—and which, LQVXOLQ UHVLVWDQFH JXW DQG MRLQW LQÀDPPDWLRQ The argument
with the oil companies and other big businesses, autoimmune diseases, mineral deficiencies, about human
own almost all the small organic labels (Hain, digestive disorders, hormonal disruptions and
Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen, etc.), too. They’re many more medical problems. As other research- starvation
happy to take more money selling organic food ers and writers have shown, the last century’s is simply a
to well-meaning yuppies while simultaneously exponential increase in consumption of modern smoke screen
doing all they can to erode organic standards so DJULEXVLQHVV¶V UH¿QHG FDUERK\GUDWHV PDQXIDF-
they can produce more cheaply yet still command tured fats, and isolated plant proteins coupled for Big Ag.
SUMMER 2009 Wise Traditions 67