As a medical student, I would roll my eyes so hard whenever I would hear relatives who had never taken a single science class in their life, explain the “logic” behind food items I shouldn’t eat. When people say is cheez ki taseer garam hai, do they mean enthalpy? Every second person is a quack hakeem without any scientific backing for their claims. Consequently, a lot of desi food myths have propagated without any sound reasoning.
Here are few that you need to stop believing right away.
Drinking milk after eating fish will give you vitiligo (phulveri)
Desi ghee increases sexual prowess in men. Taqaat milti hai
Mardana Kamroozi ka Ilaz: garam doodh mein chaar chamach desi ghee. Guaranteed to clog your arteries and kill you, but hey quality over quantity ?
Eating kaporay for the aforementioned reason
I think people are taking “you are what you eat” too seriously. Chill out peep!
Honey is better than sugar and will help you lose weight
Honey is certainly an unrefined, natural sweetener, with anti-inflammatory qualities but that does not mean that spoonfuls of honey will help you shed kilos. 1 tablespoon of honey provides approximately 65 calories, whereas the same amount of table sugar contains only 46 calories. Although honey has more calories, it has a lower glycemic index compared to table sugar due to which honey causes a smaller spike in blood sugar. So the point being, although honey is a healthier sweetener, it is a sweetener nonetheless- so use with moderation.
Chai peenay se insaan kaala hojata hay.
No, just no! That’s not how melanin works. Case in point: all the pale skinned English people obsessed with tea.
Khati cheezain like immli and ambiyan cause breast enlargement
Ladies, and gentlemen who ward off these delicious tangy treats for fear of growing moobs, if this myth were true, plastic surgeons would be out of business. The biggest factor that determines the size and shape of your breasts is your genetic pattern. According to Richard Bleicher, M.D., surgical oncologist and director of the Breast Fellowship Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, “Your genes also influence the levels of your hormones, which affect your breast tissue.” Though certain foods can increase the amount of estrogen available in your body, the effect isn’t significant enough to cause cup size changes.
Doodh pilai ki rasam say bacha hua doodh jisay pilain unki shaadi jaldi ho jaati hai.
If only someone’s left over doodh could help you find the elusive perfect partner, even lactose intolerant people would be chugging mouthfuls.
Drinking water after eating water-melon causes cholera.
Fun fact: In order to get cholera one must eat or drink food items contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio Cholerae. It doesn’t matter what you eat, it needs to be contaminated to make you sick. If the bacteria isn’t present- all the watermelon and water combined can’t give you cholera! Science.
Let us know in the comments below if we missed any desi food myth.
Cover image via: kisan.com.pk