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Caustic Commentary

evidence which concluded that saturated fats could not, after conventionally bred varieties, which have yielded up to one
all, be said to cause heart disease (Annals of Internal Medi- ton per hectare more in nitrogen-poor soils than existing
cine. Published online March 18 2014). Another meta-analysis commerical varieties. The organization is working to develop
(American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010 Mar;91(3):535- genetically modified varieties also, but say these are at least
46) came to the same conclusion. The industry-supported ten years from success (Nature 513, 292 September 18, 2014).
damage control team continues to tell us that we should avoid
saturated fat because it will make us fat (a claim not supported MILK DRINKERS AT RISK
by the evidence); or, they argue, the problem is that we replace Pasteurized milk is the number one allergen and is associated
saturated fats with donuts, when we should replace them with in the medical literature with allergies, asthma, digestive
salmon and olive oil. The industry will do anything to keep disorders, frequent ear infections and auto-immune disease.
us from eating butter or coconut oil—"Coconut oil seen as A new study finds that milk does little to strengthen bones
a health hazard" is the latest offering from the New Zealand and can double the risk of early death. Research published
Heart Foundation. Representatives from both camps "nearly in The British Medical Journal tracked over sixty thousand
came to blows" at a recent debate in New Zealand between women and forty-five thousand men for twenty years; it found
Grant Schofield, a cheerleader for high-fat, low-carb diets, and no reduction in broken bones for those who consumed the
Rod Jackson, apologist for margarine and vegetable oils. Still most milk. Women who drank three glasses or more per day
butter consumption in the U.S. has climbed to a forty-year were twice as likely to die early as those who consumed less
“high” of 5.6 pounds per year, while New Zealanders are now than one (BMJ. 2014 Oct 28;349). The study was carried out
consuming over twenty-four pounds per year. in Sweden, where all the milk is pasteurized. The truth is,
industrial processing has ruined Nature's perfect food, mak-
NEW ZEALAND ALL BLACKS RULE AGAIN ing it toxic, rather than health-promoting. The milk industry,
Butter consumption may be one reason the All Blacks rugby which scratches its head about the relentless decline in milk
team, from a country of only four million people, continues consumption (down four percent in 2013), need look no further
to dominate in international competition. Recently the All than this.
Blacks played the American Eagles in Chicago and thrashed
them seventy-four to six. The New Zealand diet of grass-fed
butter, beef, lamb and organ meats, along with the best shell-
fish in the world, is surely a recipe for producing great athletes.

CONVENTIONAL BREEDING BETTER
Supporters of genetic modification argue that the technology
can produce crops with all sorts of wonderful traits: tolerance
to drought, cold, salinity and flooding; resistance to insect
pests; extra nutritional value; and, above all, higher yields. But FOR SCIENTISTS AND LAY READERS
conventional breeding techniques are quietly outperforming Please note that the mission of the Weston A. Price
genetic modification. The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Foundation is to provide important information about diet
Project (IMAS) has developed through selective breeding and health to both scientists and the lay public. For this
over one hundred fifty new varieties of maize (corn). In field reason, some of the articles in Wise Traditions are neces-
sarily technical. It is very important for us to describe the
trials, these have performed at least as well as existing com- science that supports the legitimacy of our dietary prin-
mercial seeds when rainfall is adequate and yielded up to 30 ciples. In articles aimed at scientists and practitioners, we
percent more during drought. The researchers who bred the provide a summary of the main points and also put the
new varieties were able to draw on collections in a large seed most technical information in sidebars. These articles are
bank run by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement balanced by others that provide practical advice to our lay
Center in Mexico City. And IMAS has developed twenty-one readers.
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