guinness and eggs - is it true?

[swedeheart]

I saw some friends the other week and we were talking about nutritional matters. One of them told a story of the kind that is sometimes true and sometimes not-so-true. It was about an old man in Wales who sustained himself solely on Guinness and on eggs from his own, few hens. His neighbours were worried about him and had a nurse talk him into coming in for some tests. When they came back, his results were the best they had ever seen (for his age group, I take it).

Anyone actually recognise the story as a true one? And, if not, could it still have been true?

[gen2]

Well, for a start the diet is totally lacking in vitamin D, but that can be readily made up by the body if he goes nude sunbathing every day.

Was that part of the story you were told?

[scotman]

Here is link to Guinness

http://fddb.info/db/e...aught_beer/index.html

[gen2]

I also found this:

"Guinness does contain many vitamins and
minerals in small quantities, but is lacking vitamin C, as well as
calcium and fat. So, to fulfil all of your daily nutritional
requirements you would need to drink a glass of orange juice, two
glasses of milk, and 47 pints of Guinness."

[swedeheart]

Ha ha no nude sunbathing in the story as I heard it - I would have told you! :D

[theprof]

Ehh EDDIE51? Eggs are a good source of VItamin D. A medium egg contains about 82 International Units. Besides, as long as his skin was regularly exposed to sunshine and he was not of Asian origin, sufficient vitamin D would be manufactured in his skin.

Vitamin C is indeed absent from eggs and he would encounter the symptoms of deficiency within a few weeks. Eggs also do not contain any fibre, although the Guinness would address this issue. Vitamin K might be problematical for him too but it depends on a number of complex factors. He would have sufficient protein and fat from the eggs, while once again, the Guinness would provide all the sugars he needs. There is also no issue with minerals as eggs contain virtually all the minerals we need.

Overall, he could survive on this diet for a good few months.

[theprof]

gen2, the diet is NOT totally lacking in Vitamin D. Here's a link to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. The data concerns a "medium" 44g raw, whole and fresh egg. I know you're capable of interpreting the data

http://www.nal.usda.g...-bin/list_nut_edit.pl

[theprof]

Hmm, it seems even the FSA give credence to my claim.

http://www.eatwell.go...s/eggsandpulses/eggs/

[theprof]

Hmm, seems the link to the USDA specific page is not functioning. Try the home page:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

Use the Keyword "Egg", select "Dairy & Egg Products" as Foodgroup. Select "Egg, Whole, Raw, Fresh" and "1 medium" on the next page.

[horseshoes]

Mike11111: Bob dydd pan fyddaf yn deffro Diolch yn fawr i'r arglwydd rwy'n Cymraeg.......

[theprof]

That's OK EDDIE51. No harm done - it's Christmas after all!

[theprof]

charner73, if the farmer was in good health when he started this diet, he'd probably be fine for at least three months. A young and fit man might well be OK for six months before showing symptoms.

The gastro-intestinal adverse effects of the eggs, by and large would be cancelled out by the Guinness. I am basing this on fresh, raw eggs though and if he had the ability to cook them, he might well last longer.

[tiggerblue10]

A couple of years ago there was a series on BBC3 called Fussy Eaters. Loads of people on the programme only ate certain foods. I think there was a woman who only ate cheese, bread and potato products and nothing else. They all seemed ok.

I haven't read the full thread in case anyone has asked but wouldn't this guy be permanently drunk?

[mike11111]

If only he would have a few soldiers to dunk into his egg he would have a perfectly balanced diet.