What about before agriculture, weren't people healthy (clue : you wouldn't be here) ?
Aren't eskimos healthy ?
And chimps, bonobos ? (Paleo diet
)
If I say that the milk industry CLEARLY states that milk (and yogurt, cheese ...) is GOOD, HEALTHY now, when many studies show this, and OTHERS show the contrary (well calcium is supposedly good for bones and everything, but there are more arthrytis and other problems in western culture than asia or africa) ... do you see a similarity ?
Up to you to believe one or the other ... but keep in mind that it's a belief, we eat ideas.
The human species has conquered every environment, every continent.
Only omnivores can do that
The 'problem' here is the definition of health.
I know fifty years ago in france they ate up to 3000 calories (butter, meat) , drank more than a liter of wine a day, and were strong and healthy (farmers at least), sure they may die at 60 or 70, but they were healthy all the way.
Do you prefer to live up to 90 with 2 or 3 visits (dentist, ophtalmologist, dermatologist, brain surgeon, ...) by year checking everything, ending in a retirement home because your family won't take care of you, you can't walk ..., or 'just' 75 or 80, strong healthy, independent ... ?
That was a long shot ... all that to say starch made it EASY for people to eat (good conservation, easily storable, many nutrients ...), but the first thing that came to mind when you said that was 'propaganda', like "eat starch and you'll live to 100, healthy ..." just to sell their starch as they do now with the milk and meat industries (the clue is in the name ...).
I'll end with that, or I'll write all night!
The only thing I want to emphasize is that when you separate diet from the other elements (environment, your tastes, your eating habits, the way you relate to food (chocolate is NOT a comfort food
) ...) it will lead nowhere (well that's probably up to those who will try all those diets to see for themselves).