Hello Anemia, my old friend...

[lupo pazzesco]

I was aware of this, and when I do cook kidney beans, I always make sure to follow soaking and cooking instructions to the absolute, teensy tiniest letter!

...I want kidney beans now. And black beans. And pintos. 3 bean chili with chunky veggies. Mmmmm...

[Dave1982]

Ok good. Just didn't want to see you get sick on top of being anemic.

I did not know this...... thanks for that valuable info!!

Not a problem.

[Magpie]

Hold on a sec. The Wikipedia article contradicts itself. It says both that cooking them in a slow cooker can be dangerous, AND that temperatures of 100°C make it perfectly safe to eat the beans. I don't know about you, but I cook my beans on high in the slow cooker, so they boil.

I checked the reference given, and wikipedia (and another source) both look like they're misinterpreting the FDA "Bad Bug Book"

Several outbreaks have been associated with "slow cookers" or crock pots, or in casseroles which had not reached a high enough internal temperature to destroy the glycoprotein lectin. It has been shown that heating to 80°C may potentiate the toxicity five-fold, so that these beans are more toxic than if eaten raw. In studies of casseroles cooked in slow cookers, internal temperatures often did not exceed 75°C.

This is slightly different than "if you cook them in a slow cooker temperatures will not exceed 75°C, and it will therefore be dangerous". As long as it is boiling everywhere in the slowcooker (just around the edges doesn't cut it), you're fine.

ETA: and kidney beans aren't the only culprit, just the worst ones. So if you have a lower set-point on your slow cooker, or it's really big so the centre isn't as hot, then don't cook any beans in it, it's not just kidney beans that you have to worry about.

[Dave1982]

I'm not surprised that the Wikipedia article contradicts itself. The warning is still valid, even if the specifics aren't.

[Magpie]

The warning is still valid, even if the specifics aren't.

Oh, yes, but slow cookers may or may not be dangerous. Check before you make yourself do it the hard way. I appreciate the heads-up, because I had never heard of this toxin before.

[crashhelmet]

I realize I'm late to this thread, but I'm anemic as well and after a little research and doctorly advice I was able to get my iron levels high enough.

Like Aethian mentioned, Vitamins D, B, and C are great for anemics. they all help your body absorb the iron that is naturally found in meats and vegetables. On top of that, cut back on or even completely cut out the caffeine in your diet for a week or two before the scheduled donation date. Caffeine blocks the absorption of iron.

So, I increased those vitamins and killed all caffeine and was able to get my iron count high enough to donate. Only to be told that I couldn't donate cuz I lived in Germany in the 80s and I might be a risk for Mad Cow Disease.

CH

[Dave1982]

Only to be told that I couldn't donate cuz I lived in Germany in the 80s and I might be a risk for Mad Cow Disease.

Hold on....isn't that something that can be easily tested for??

[lupo pazzesco]

Actually no. Mad Cow is a prion based disease, prion being a protein like all other proteins in human blood. There is no way to diagnose it or test for it before symptoms occur, and by then, the disease is widespread and has essentially eaten holes into your brain. right now, (as far as I'm aware) the only way to test for the disease is a brain biopsy. there is no effective or reliable blood test, because the tests that do exist aren't sensitive enough to pick up the differences between the prions and proteins.

Er...read about this in a class I took about diseases in the course of human history. Pretty fascinating, if frightening, stuff.

[Aethian]

I might be a risk for Mad Cow Disease.

First, thanks for saying what helped me helped you.

Second.... MOOOOOOOO Yes I am a brat, why do you ask?

[crashhelmet]

Actually no. Mad Cow is a prion based disease, prion being a protein like all other proteins in human blood. There is no way to diagnose it or test for it before symptoms occur, and by then, the disease is widespread and has essentially eaten holes into your brain. right now, (as far as I'm aware) the only way to test for the disease is a brain biopsy. there is no effective or reliable blood test, because the tests that do exist aren't sensitive enough to pick up the differences between the prions and proteins.

Er...read about this in a class I took about diseases in the course of human history. Pretty fascinating, if frightening, stuff.

At this point, I'm more worried about the effect the somewhatmaybepossiblyexcessive amounts of alcohol I've consumed in my life in combination with the multiple concussions that now require said crash helmet have had on my brain than the possibility of mad cow

CH

[Dave1982]

Actually no.

Oh ok...didn't know that. I guess everyone gets to learn something new in this thread.

[lupo pazzesco]

Oh ok...didn't know that. I guess everyone gets to learn something new in this thread.

sorry. Sometimes I come off as know-it-all sounding when I'm parroting facts I remember from classes. You should hear me give the usual spiels at work I have to give. People are amazed I remember so much info and just...robot it out. Like a machine. Makes me sound all arrogant though. Hate it. Working on it.