Paleo Diets in the Philippines Until the 16th Century

[goodsamaritan]

My sister in law “gifted” me with a paper entitled: Paleo Diets in the Philippines Up to the Spanish Period by Chef Raul ‘Sam’ T. Leoz, Jr. College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Sto. Tomas 2010.

The author studied paleolithic evidence carbon dating back to 8,800 years before the present. Conclusion: Paleo Diet Philippines consisted of lots of marine and terrestrial creatures, vegetables and fruit. There was no evidence of starch consumption even though in parts of Asia, bananas and tubers were cultivated 25,000 BP. So paleo diet Philippines had no bananas and no tubers. Interesting.

http://paleodietcure.com/2011/06/paleo-diets-in-the-philippines-until-the-16th-century/

[p0wer]

Is the paper available somewhere for download?

[Raw Kyle]

I'd be interested in seeing that as well. I can try to look for it in my university's journal database.

[PaleoPhil]

So paleo diet Philippines had no bananas and no tubers. Interesting.

Yup, I tried to explain this.

Author says the use of fire was already present in the lower paleolithic age (what does lower mean?)

It means earlier, as in 2.5 million years ago to around 300,000 years ago, but Wrangham's claim that cooking dates to 1.9 mya is still speculation at this point.

As I tried to explain, it doesn't matter much what the earliest diet of the Philippines was, as the evidence so far indicates that human beings evolved in Africa (with a smattering of Neanderthal genes contributing to Eurasian stock), then the Middle East, then mainland Eurasia, before reaching the Philippines late in human history. Roots and tubers that were edible raw were consumed for more than 3.9 million years in Africa, though not bananas.

Early Humans [somewhat] Skipped Fruit, Went For Nuts [and roots, insects, meat and honey]
http://news.discovery.com/human/human-ancestor-diet-nuts.html
"Our human ancestors did not eat much fruit, but instead consumed a lot of root vegetables, nuts, insects and some meat, according to a new study." [Though even this study involves some inference.]

The study:
Kimematic parameters inferred from enamel microstruture: new insights into the diet of Australopithecus anamensis
by Gabriele Macho and Daisuke Shimizu
Received 10 March 2009
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.07.004

Author concludes that food supply during paleo diet Philippines time consisted of: lean wild meats, fish, vegetables and fruits.

No one knows for sure how lean the overall meat consumption was and it would have varied over seasons and over time and between regions and it depends on what animals were available in each region, which animals were preferentially hunted and which parts of the animals were eaten.

Also, the author apparently neglected insects and honey. Insects have been a part of primate diets going back to the very first primate and beyond.

RAW Animal Meat is IT!

That was definitely a significant part of the diet, but not the only part.

Question (nearly) everything. What sources did this chef dude, Leoz, provide? I'd be skeptical of the opinion of a cook on when cooking began, as he has a vested interest in cooking.

[goodsamaritan]

Philippines had TONS of FRUIT.

Just not starchy bananas and tubers.

In the 1600s, when the Spaniards arrived, they reported the food as http://www.myhealthblog.org/2011/06/13/1600s-visayan-philippines-lots-of-honey-lots-of-fruit-lots-of-fish-lots-of-wild-game/

I sent an email to the university asking permission to post his work here.

[PaleoPhil]

The study was about Paleolithic Africa, not the Philippines. Has someone proposed the Philippines as the origin place and main Stone Age habitat of the Hominin ancestors of H. sapiens? The study didn't say that there's no fruit in Africa or the Philippines; rather, the study scientists said that Australopithecus anamensis likely ate mostly "nuts, root vegetables, insects -- such as termites -- and some meat," and that Ardipithecus ramidus "likely consumed a similar diet."