This is extremely disingenuous. You cannot drink anything more than a little bit of olive oil without serious gastric consequences, which is why most of history involves using a little bit of vegetable oil here and there for the other desirable properties. Nevermind the fact that nobody could afford large quantities of ANY food, and even after we brought the potato, a way more efficient means of growing calories, to europe, most people still couldn't afford more than sufficient quantities of calories. Even then, there are arguments to be made that such potato growing was an important element of significant population growth after it became popular.

Meanwhile, you average normal person nowadays CAN eat a bag of potato chips in one sitting, without gastric consequences. Then they can compensate for eating half a pound of salt by following it up with half a candy bar for something sweet. Or maybe they got a milkshake with their burger or something.