The Food Chain

What's food got to do with destiny?


Listen Later

What is it about garlic that wards off the evil eye? Why is rice sometimes thrown over the happy couple at a wedding?

The way we grow, eat and use certain foods is said to bring us luck - good or bad - but why do we imbue them with these mystical powers, and why do these beliefs persist?

Tamasin Ford explores some of the most common and also unusual food superstitions practiced around the world.

Producers: Simon Tulett and Sarah Stolarz

(Picture: Two hands pulling a wishbone. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Contributors:

Jayanti 'Jonty' Rajagopalan, owner of Detours India, Hyderabad;

Mae Azango, journalist with FrontPage Africa, Liberia;
Tasha Marks, food historian, London.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Food ChainBy BBC World Service

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

325 ratings


More shows like The Food Chain

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,772 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

891 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,068 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,465 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,826 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,811 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,049 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,073 Listeners

Health Check by BBC World Service

Health Check

89 Listeners

Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

Gastropod

3,647 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

267 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

401 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

427 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

228 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

845 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

333 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

362 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

480 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

243 Listeners

Sliced Bread by BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread

126 Listeners

Good Food by Good Food

Good Food

43 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,229 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

751 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,044 Listeners