By Brett Loman
Nutrition may be a relatively young science, but perhaps the intuition of our elders has informed us more than we realize. Food superstitions are as old as culture itself and essentially every civilization has added its share to the ever-growing list of dos and don’ts. In respect to two months in a row with Friday the 13ths this year, I investigated how some long-standing tales about what we eat might actually be grounded in truth.
Spilling salt brings bad luck. This widely recognized superstition originating in ancient Greece may hold some hidden truths. One of the most commonly believed concepts about sodium (salt) today is that eating too much can aggravate conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. The American Heart Association and National Kidney Foundation recommend limiting salt consumption to about 1,500 mg/d. So whether you believe the superstition or modern medicine, you will think twice and shake the habit of spilling salt onto your meal.
Eating garlic, onions, and mustard seeds is good luck by granting blessings or warding off evil. This superstition is rooted in many proverbs, and it just so happens that vegetables in the Amaryllis (onions, garlic, etc) and Brassicaceae (mustard, broccoli, etc) families are being investigated as anticarcinogens. Many of the naturally occurring phytochemicals in these plants may serve to halt the formation of cancer causing compounds, enhance repair of damaged DNA, and induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Chowing down on these luckily talismans could ward off disease, but don’t forget that those same beneficial compounds may also scare off your friends with the odors they leave lingering behind.
Bringing bananas on a boat will cause fishermen ill will and a bad catch. Green bananas, coincidentally, may just cause some unwanted symptoms of illness. Un-ripened bananas are a good source of resistant starch. Depending on your personal disposition, fermentation of resistant starch could either provide a healthy dose of short-chain fatty acids to the intestines, or a healthy dose of gas and diarrhea. Any angler would have difficulty landing the big one between frequent trips to the loo, and that’s no fish tale.
Planting parsley will help a woman become pregnant. Of course having good nutrition is important for increasing chances of beginning a pregnancy, but parsley is specifically of interest for the health of the newly developing fetus. This ubiquitous herb is a good source of many vitamins and minerals, including folic acid. In the first few weeks, adequate folate is especially important for preventing neural tube defects in the rapidly growing baby. Consider sowing seeds of parsley before sowing your wild oats.
Every day we find out more and more about how our eating habits affect our bodies, but in some cases we shouldn’t overlook what prior generations have already provided us. Tell the researchers and your grandma thanks for the advice.
References
1. Cobb, L.K., Anderson, C.A.M., Elliott, P., et al. Methodological issues in cohort studies that relate sodium intake to cardiovascular disease outcomes: A science advisory from the American Heart Association (2014) Circulation, 129 (10), pp. 1173-1186. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84895928005&partnerID=40&md5=75ecd90a4f86d73a8c200d300b4ca6c8
2. https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/About-Sodium-Salt_UCM_463416_Article.jsp
3. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/sodiumckd
4. https://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/garlic-and-cancer-prevention#r18
5. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/dietandnutrition/broccoli
6. https://digestivehealthinstitute.org/2013/05/10/resistant-starch-friend-or-foe/
7. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3080?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=parsley
8. https://www.cdc.gov/features/folicacidbenefits/
