Ever wonder why you went bald? Do you ever find yourself with a decreased vigor for life and can't explain why? Did you suddenly go deaf without any prior symptoms? How about an unexpected bloated belly or an intense case of diarrhea? If any of these describes you, then I'm happy to say I finally have answers for you.
Yesterday morning I had a lovely little surprise sitting on my desk, a notice from our local health center. I was about to throw it away when I noticed the title that had me instantly hooked:
20 Foods Which Shouldn't Be Eaten Together
I'd like to translate these twenty food combinations for you, including their purported effects, and in turn I want you to realize that this was not meant to be a joke. These health officials are completely serious. This notice was passed around the city in hopes that people would think twice before serving, let's say...rabbit meat and celery in the same meal. Apparently, all your guests would walk away bald. I'm doing you a favor here, so you might want to take some notes.
Just in case you think I'm making this up
- Pork + water chestnuts = a stomach ache
- Beef + chestnuts = vomiting
- Lamb meat + watermelon = a decreased vigor for life
- Dog meat + green beans = poisonous to the body
- Rabbit meat + celery = loss of hair
- Chicken + celery = a decreased vigor for life
- Goose meat + chicken eggs = a decreased vigor for life
- Turtle meat + amaranth (a nutritional herb) = poisonous to the body
- Carp + liquorice (not the candy) = poisonous to the body
- Crab + persimmon fruit = diarrhea
- Chicken eggs + saccharin = poisonous to the body, potentially fatal
- Brown sugar + preserved eggs = poisonous to the body
- White wine (白酒) + persimmon = chest pains
- Onions + honey = damaged vision
- Radish + fungus = dermatits (a skin disease)
- Bean curd + honey = makes you deaf
- Potatoes + bananas = (I can't figure the translation for this one...sorry. Anyone willing to try it out and let me know its effects?)
- Bananas + sweet potato = a bloated belly
- Peanuts + cucumbers = harmful to the body
- Sweet potatoes + persimmon = lithiasis (formation of stones, such as the kidney stone)
So the question remains for me...how much of this should I take to heart? Any ideas?
Update: Thanks to a few commenters and some people on twitter I think that I can now say that #17 should correctly be translated as - "Potatoes + bananas = freckles". Also, #15 should read "dermatitis", not "dermatits"...but since it's been commented on I'll keep it as is.
36 Comments:
I dunno, but here's a thought on what the author(s) of that notice should take to heart:
"Spreading these fibs will make hair grow on the palm of your writing hand, and you'll go blind"
Or is it something else causing that? No matter; let's celebrate: Chinese healthcare is looking up!
P.S. I like "dermatits" in #15. Nice touch, even as a typo, heh!
I dunno, but here's a thought on what the author(s) of that notice should take to heart:
"Spreading these fibs will make hair grow on the palm of your writing hand, and you'll go blind"
Or is it something else causing that? No matter; let's celebrate: Chinese healthcare is looking up!
P.S. I like "dermatits" in #15. Nice touch, even as a typo, heh!
I don't know, Josh. It's easy to laugh at the ridiculousness of it, but I'm sure there is some merit behind the suggestions.
I thought Chinese Traditional Medicine was a joke. But, Chinese medicine did cure (yes, cure) my asthma, and quickly heal an injury I received last years after an accident.
The list is mockable from a western viewpoint, but since none of us have a good understanding of the science and belief behind it, who are we to pass judgment?
I don't know, Josh. It's easy to laugh at the ridiculousness of it, but I'm sure there is some merit behind the suggestions.
I thought Chinese Traditional Medicine was a joke. But, Chinese medicine did cure (yes, cure) my asthma, and quickly heal an injury I received last years after an accident.
The list is mockable from a western viewpoint, but since none of us have a good understanding of the science and belief behind it, who are we to pass judgment?
I don't know, Josh. It's easy to laugh at the ridiculousness of it, but I'm sure there is some merit behind the suggestions.
I thought Chinese Traditional Medicine was a joke. But, Chinese medicine did cure (yes, cure) my asthma, and quickly heal an injury I received last years after an accident.
The list is mockable from a western viewpoint, but since none of us have a good understanding of the science and belief behind it, who are we to pass judgment?
Potatoes + bananas = Facial spots/pigmentation (that last character is ban1)
Glad I'm not into persimmons! Nice list.
Potatoes + bananas = Facial spots/pigmentation (that last character is ban1)
Glad I'm not into persimmons! Nice list.
Hmm I like peanuts mixed with cucumbers in summer cold dishes. Too bad for me!
Lisa in Toronto
Hmm I like peanuts mixed with cucumbers in summer cold dishes. Too bad for me!
Lisa in Toronto
17. Potatoes + bananas = freckles
17. Potatoes + bananas = freckles
The New York Times reported on June 4 that men should not eat large amounts of soy or else be at risk for erectile dysfunction and enlarged breasts. I hope that news gets across the Silk Road to far west China.
Who adds honey to bean curd or onions? One of those combinations makes you deaf and the other makes you go blind.
I'm guilty to adding honey to peanut butter; am I going to lose my voice?
The New York Times reported on June 4 that men should not eat large amounts of soy or else be at risk for erectile dysfunction and enlarged breasts. I hope that news gets across the Silk Road to far west China.
Who adds honey to bean curd or onions? One of those combinations makes you deaf and the other makes you go blind.
I'm guilty to adding honey to peanut butter; am I going to lose my voice?
Oops...thanks for pointing out that typo. Ha! I think I'll just leave it as it is, but just in case anybody wasn't sure, that was supposed to be "dermatitis", not "dermatits".
Oops...thanks for pointing out that typo. Ha! I think I'll just leave it as it is, but just in case anybody wasn't sure, that was supposed to be "dermatitis", not "dermatits".
I completely understand what you're saying, Stevo. I'm not trying to make fun of Chinese people here, I just found this particular health notice quite funny. I mean, there are a TON of other things here in China that have the potential to give me diarrhea!
I agree that there has to be some merit to some of these suggestions, but the question is how much. Thankfully I have remained healthy enough during my short life to not have to take much medicine at all - western or Chinese - so I can't give any first-hand accounts.
I'm not trying to mock, just passing along a fun notice.
I completely understand what you're saying, Stevo. I'm not trying to make fun of Chinese people here, I just found this particular health notice quite funny. I mean, there are a TON of other things here in China that have the potential to give me diarrhea!
I agree that there has to be some merit to some of these suggestions, but the question is how much. Thankfully I have remained healthy enough during my short life to not have to take much medicine at all - western or Chinese - so I can't give any first-hand accounts.
I'm not trying to mock, just passing along a fun notice.
That one got me as well...cucumbers and peanuts are served as a free cold dish in quite a few Chinese restaurants I frequent. I wonder if I'll begin to see a change due to this notice.
Also, especially here in Xinjiang, a meal full of lamb followed by a juicy watermelon is VERY common.
Thanks...I think I agree with this translation. Most Chinese people I've met think freckles are quite ugly and would hate to get them.
That one got me as well...cucumbers and peanuts are served as a free cold dish in quite a few Chinese restaurants I frequent. I wonder if I'll begin to see a change due to this notice.
Also, especially here in Xinjiang, a meal full of lamb followed by a juicy watermelon is VERY common.
Thanks...I think I agree with this translation. Most Chinese people I've met think freckles are quite ugly and would hate to get them.
Men with enlarged breast? Thanks for the tip...I'll try to pass on the news to the health officials here.
Have you seen the movie "Deadly Delicious"? In short it about a woman poisoning her cheating husband using exactly these methods.
http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/deadly_delicous.html
Men with enlarged breast? Thanks for the tip...I'll try to pass on the news to the health officials here.
Have you seen the movie "Deadly Delicious"? In short it about a woman poisoning her cheating husband using exactly these methods.
http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/deadly_delicous.html
From the state of the cubicles in the toilets at the university I taught at in China, I would say that students have been served rather too much crab and persimmon fruit in the canteen.
From the state of the cubicles in the toilets at the university I taught at in China, I would say that students have been served rather too much crab and persimmon fruit in the canteen.
sorry, 'guest' was me.
sorry, 'guest' was me.
I've heard of this kind of thing before... apparently it gets really complicated. One of my teachers saw the combination of things in my tea cup one day and was a little worried, "Aren't you afraid of making poison?" Then she explained things as per your translated notice above, and when I didn't believe her she brought a thick book to our next class cataloguing all the various ways you shouldn't combine all manner of food. It was even illustrated.
I've heard of this kind of thing before... apparently it gets really complicated. One of my teachers saw the combination of things in my tea cup one day and was a little worried, "Aren't you afraid of making poison?" Then she explained things as per your translated notice above, and when I didn't believe her she brought a thick book to our next class cataloguing all the various ways you shouldn't combine all manner of food. It was even illustrated.
I've heard of this kind of thing before... apparently it gets really complicated. One of my teachers saw the combination of things in my tea cup one day and was a little worried, "Aren't you afraid of making poison?" Then she explained things as per your translated notice above, and when I didn't believe her she brought a thick book to our next class cataloguing all the various ways you shouldn't combine all manner of food. It was even illustrated.
I think there should just a be a warning for 白酒. Doesn't matter what you combine it with, it'll still cause problems.
I think there should just a be a warning for 白酒. Doesn't matter what you combine it with, it'll still cause problems.
I had a Chinese student who was very concerned about food and health issues I had NEVER heard of. Now, what will happen in Thailand where peanuts and cukes are combined regularly?
I had a Chinese student who was very concerned about food and health issues I had NEVER heard of. Now, what will happen in Thailand where peanuts and cukes are combined regularly?
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