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?

[theprof]

mike11111, it wouldn't be certain. Standard bread contains no Vitamin C. Even Vitamin C fortified bread may not contain sufficient vitamin C for his needs as the total amount of Vitamin C available in the bread after baking varies widely.

Vitamin C is added as a flour improver. It's not added to the bread in the sense of a food supplement.

[theprof]

charner73, as I said earlier, the carbs as you put it would come solely from the Guinness.

[mike11111]

'na neis, Pedolau ceffyl. Hwyl i chi! (A diolch yn fawr i Dduw fy mod i'n Saes!"

[swedeheart]

Well this has got to be a made up story - I'm sure you would all have heard about a naked, somewhat sun-worshipping and permanently drunk Welshman had he really existed:D This has been most interesting, thanks all for your replies and general input. I had no idea about people of Asian descent not being as able to manufacture vitamin D from the sunlight, so that was interesting too. Thanks guys, I'll show this thread to my friend who told the story.

[theprof]

Permanently drunk? Not necessarily. Constantly with alcohol in his bloodstream, yes. That doesn't make him drunk. Tipsy maybe.

I have to point out that the human body manufactures minute quantities of ethanol constantly 24/7 as part of essential biochemical processes. As a result, everyone of us contains ethanol at any given time. This doesn't mean that we're all drunk all of the time.

[theprof]

You have to remember that just like the rest of us,the farmer's body will eliminate the alcohol from his bloodstream. The rate at which he does this will be governed by his intake to some extent. For example, his "diet" might mean that he drinks his Guinness perhaps only twice a day. This would mean that for a certain period during the day, he is essentially sober. You can't accuse him of being drunk 24/7 unless you know his intake.

[swedeheart]

...and there you have your answer, tiggerblue! Thanks theprof.

[jomifl]

dim gymraig yma os gwelych y n fa

[theprof]

Is it possible that this thread can continue in the true scientific sense without the intervention of the trolls that insist upon using Google Translate for their peurile English to Welsh translational posts?

It may interest you to know that I have been fluent in the Welsh language for something in excess of forty years due to a determination to learn the language as a result of a job offer at a Welsh University. I considered this the least I could do in order to familiarise myself with the culture of the university concerned. I've never regretted it.

Jomifl, you have no idea how very wrong you are.

[theprof]

Incidentally, it's "gwelych yn dda" jomifl not as per your post. Is this a Google Translate error or a transcription error on your part? You really need to try harder!

[Andyvon]

Didn't Alex Higgins try to survive like this earlier this year as a result of his throat cancer and losing his teeth? I think he starved to death.

[mike11111]

Actually it's 'os gwelwch yn dda', not gwelych. Also Cymraeg - no need to mutate the C to a G after 'dim'. i suspect a translation site.

[theprof]

mike1111, you are correct. It should indeed be gwelwch. Undoubtedly a translational site was used by jomifl due to the "gwelych y n fa", which is totally meaningless.

[ludwig]

// "gwelych y n fa", which is totally meaningless. //

I spotted that too.

[naomi24]

Mike and Jomifl, I don't read Welsh, but rather than achieving your very clear aim that can only possibly be to astonish everyone here by showing them how very clever you are, your use of a language that few present understand merely serves to demonstrate your ignorance and bad manners, and consequently your lack of breeding. I strongly suspect you've impressed no one.

[theprof]

I'll second that Naomi24. There's nothing quite like a translational facility such as Google Translate to sort out the men from the boys. The puerile users who attempt to impress by using the service in a misguided attempt to impress other AB users only serve to illustrate their ignorance, bad manners and naivety. Perhaps it's time they realised they impress no-one.

[naomi24]

Somehow I knew you would agree, prof. :o)

[sandyRoe]

Would a diet of Guinness + eggs not cause a serious air pollution problem? Perhaps it's only suitable for isolated hill farmers?

[anneasquith]

a wee bit harsh prof and naomi, i dont think they are doing too much harm.

[ELVIS68]

Alex Higgins did try this as his main diet but unfortunately he did starve to death

On the plus side he was buried in his snooker cue case