Thursday, January 22, 2009

Folklore ancient and modern

Meeting, yesterday: 4.00 pm.

"Peak time for banana consumption," I pronounce, reaching for a fruit.

Puzzled looks all round.

"It's something to do with the state of your metabolism at this time of day that means you get maximum benefit from bananas."

Everyone reaches for a banana.

"I eat about 3 or 4 bananas a day," says James, munching away.

"You're going to get potassium poisoning," I quip.

What the hell is going on here? I'm just repeating scraps of pseudo-science someone - my Mum? - told me months ago. 

Have bananas even got potassium in them? (Yes! But it's impossible to overdose, apparently) When is the best time to eat a banana?

It's the same as that "drinking in the middle of the day gets you more pissed because your liver is sleepy" idea.

And no less charming for it.

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