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Author: Gilles Arbour
Date: Dec. 2004
From: Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients(Issue 257)
Publisher: The Townsend Letter Group
Document Type: Article
Length: 4,741 words
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The surprising answer is a clear and unequivocal YES. Due to the growing popularity of sprouts in general, and a widespread ignorance as to the toxic dangers posed by buckwheat greens specifically, many people are today suffering unnecessarily. In this article I will describe the toxic effects of ingesting buckwheat greens, and I will answer the question of why they are toxic to humans. I will also provide a brief synopsis of what is currently known about this phenomenon. And finally, I will recount my own anecdotal experience with buckwheat greens.
The basic problem with buckwheat greens is that they contain fa*gopyrin, a naturally occurring substance in the buckwheat plant. When ingested in sufficient quantity, fa*gopyrin is known to cause the skin of animals and people to become phototoxic, which is to say hypersensitive to sunlight. This condition, specifically known as fa*gopyrism, occurs when the ingested fa*gopyrin accumulates under the skin and is subsequently activated by sunlight, resulting in a toxic reaction within the skin. Typically, exposed areas of skin turn pink or red within minutes, and a strong burning sensation accompanies the reaction. Within a few hours the exposed areas usually appear to return to normal, however continue to remain ultrasensitive to cold water, hot water and to friction. This sensitivity can last for days.
In addition to the burning sensation, people suffering from fa*gopyrism often complain of feeling a numb, fuzzy, buzzing impression when they scratch or inadvertently hit their hands on something. Sufferers also report that their hands feel painfully cold when placed in cold water or when in contact with a cold object, even if only for a few seconds. Some have had numbing, itching and tickling on the face, nose and ears after sun exposure causing a desire to scratch the skin, thus worsening the condition. The eyes may also become hypersensitive to light. If a large enough portion of the skin is exposed, one may experience dizziness. If a person is forced to remain in the sun for a long period of time, the skin may swell up and remain abnormal for up to several days.
fa*gopyrin is not activated by ultraviolet light but reacts to a different portion of the sunlight spectrum. Therefore, the normal application of sunscreen offers no protection at all. Glass, which filters out ultraviolet rays, does not however filter out the reactive range relative to fa*gopyrin. This means that sunlight coming through home or car windows also causes a phototoxic reaction.
Unlike the shoots of the buckwheat plant, buckwheat groats, or seeds, are not generally problematic because they contain only trace quantities of fa*gopyrin. Buckwheat groats are commonly sold as kasha or are ground into buckwheat flour, which is used to make soba noodles and buckwheat pancakes. These foods have long been used as staples in many cultures and appear to be perfectly safe. The danger lies not in the grains, but in the mature green buckwheat plants that some animals may ingest, and in the young green shoots,...
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Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2004 The Townsend Letter Group
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Gale Document Number: GALE|A125834329