The findings of the American Chemical Society that coriander leaves are excellent water purifiers as they absorb heavy metal and such impurities in water, reminded me of a senior family friend. He never allowed coriander leaves in any cooking in his house, convinced that it was poisonous. If these leaves absorb pollutants, the gentleman was certainly right as what the leaves absorbed would enter our bodies. Yet, with all such fastidiousness, he passed away at a comparatively young age of 70, though going by the regimen he had set for himself—if he was so strict about the tasty coriander leaves one can imagine about other items—he should have lived much longer.
The same day there was another report that the leaves of a plant “choriyanam” (tragia involucrata) have excellent medicinal properties. Mere touching of the leaves lead to severe itching, its colloquial name originating from this as “choriyal” means itching in Malayalam. The leaves have to be processed wearing gloves to escape the misery and if one is ready for the ordeal, health benefits are due.
“Irumban puli” (Averrhoa bilimbi) got its reputation besmirched due to the over-enthusiasm of some of its users. This very sour vegetable, very tasty in fish preparations, is supposed to be excellent for controlling cholesterol. Some guys, on the advice of quacks, started daily drinking of its concentrated juice for fast lowering of cholesterol, instead soon ended up with renal failures!
In the mid 1980s there were a lot of reports about the harmful effects of ajinomoto (monosodium glutamate). A few years ago there were reports about its benefits! There were reports some years ago that the much loved and acclaimed paalak is an over-rated vegetable. It seems, when reporting its nutritional values, the decimal points got shifted one place by mistake and the actual values are thus only one-tenth of what is believed to be.
The whole field of nutrition, health benefits etc. of food items is thus a big minefield. Coconut oil was much maligned for years but now many say that it is the best cooking oil. One day we hear one thing and after some time it would be just the opposite, leaving us befuddled.
There was one couple who traversed this minefield very successfully and led an active life almost up to the ripe age of 90. Though very rich, they both were very fond of the humble tapioca or cassava and would have been happy to have it three times a day. Except filling the belly, no health benefit is attributed to cassava and in fact it is virtually an untouchable for health faddists as it is nothing but starch with even miniscule traces of cyanide.
In the olden days it used to be the rustic food of Kerala, especially for the poor, though nowadays, even five star hotels, have it on their menu. This couple used to enjoy the item with great relish, accompanied by fish, if fresh fish was not available, even dried one was enough. The cooking medium in their house was only unrefined, unfiltered coconut oil, extracted from their own copra, the dreadful villain of many health faddists. Towards the end of his life, he had to be in the ICU for some ailment and the moment he was out, but still in the hospital, the demand was to get him “kappa” or tapioca! They both lived a healthy life until the last days. He passed away after a very brief illness. His wife followed him after a year, dying peacefully in her sleep.