Re: "full of beans"

On 2009-05-28, Cece wrote:

Fava beans (Vicia faba), native to the Old World, are quite ancient
and were popular all over Europe. Pythagorus happened to suffer from
favism, an allergy to beans that may be common in Mediterranean
populations.

I was surprised that favism would be common in a high-fava area, but
McGee (_On Food and Cooking_) confirms this and explains that the
associated enzyme deficiency provides some protection from malaria.


--
I don't know what they have to say
It makes no difference anyway;
Whatever it is, I'm against it! [Prof. Wagstaff]
.

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