In chapter 4, Dr. Moalem discusses the potentially dangerous fava beans that produce vicine and convincine (75 Moalem), which in turn produce free radicals that are harmful to our bodies. He also goes on and mentions phytoestrogens (78 Moalem) that make an organism sterile, peppers (82 Moalem), plants in the nightshade family (81 Moalem), and various other plants that contain toxic substances. The toxic defenses of the plants interact with our bodies when we eat them, illustrating big Idea 4.
However, theses toxic plants can sometimes become harmless when they are cooked. Dr. Moalem uses the specific example of the fava beans again because when they are soaked or cooked, they lose their toxic properties.
There are many other species of plants that are harmful to humans. Some can be cooked and are edible, but some are toxic whether cooked or not. Find one common species of toxic plant that humans eat (one that Dr. Moalem does not mention). What toxins does the plant produce? Why are those chemicals harmful to humans?
Also explain why some plants can be cooked and become edible. Explain what happens during the cooking process, at a molecular level.
(Katelyn Noronha, knoronh4@students.d125.org)
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ReplyDeleteThere are many types of poisonous plants out there, and a few of them we eat we aren't aware that they were poisonous to begin with (tomatos). One of poisonous plant that we eat is rhubarb. Rhubarb is a plant that contains a poisonous substance called oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is a corrosive acid and nephrotoxic, which is harmful to the kidneys. The toxicity of the plant is not very harmful. However, when the plant is cooked with soda the plant becomes deadly producing more oxalates.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to remove toxins in foods that we eat like Pufferfish, potatoes, and tomatoes all have different steps in order to get rid of the toxins before we can eat them. An example of this is to chop, grind, and run water through foods that contain cyanogenic glycosides, a compound that releases hydrogen cyanide (extremely poisonous liquid), upon eating. Bitter almonds, cassava roots, and lima beans all contain this compound. The way the food is prepared also differentiates what happens at the molecular level. However, very little is known what happens when cooking with edible plants like the ones listed above because the way the plant is prepared differentiates and the way that plant is prepared gets rid of the toxins and more pleasing to the consumer.
Sometimes, these toxic plants could help a person rather than kill them. An article written by "The Telegraph" states that eating mushrooms daily is helpful in reducing the risk for breast cancer. Mushrooms are poisonous, however, this is true for mushrooms that have flat caps, pink or black gills, and gills stay attached to the mushroom when pulled off. This is generally true for all types of mushrooms, but not always.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5000582/Eating-mushrooms-daily-may-cut-breast-cancer-risk-by-two-thirds.html
This all relates back to Big Idea 4 because although the plants may be poisonous, people are able to take those plants and modify them to their need for consumption. This type of alteration involves making the plants less toxic, so people can eat them by thoroughly washing them or heating the plants to a specific temperature.
Elliot Rosen (erosen3@students.d125.org)