Don't Eat That! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Beans

Pythagoras (570-495 BC) is best remembered for his theorem that states that the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. He wrote about a lot of other things as well, and some of his ideas were pretty strange.

A persistent story says that he warned his followers not to eat beans. Why he did this is a matter of debate; the most obvious reason is that beans cause many people to become flatulent. But other sources relate that the reason for the ban is that beans resemble human fetuses, or that Pythagoras believed beans contained the souls of people waiting to be reincarnated.

The story was well-known in Roman times, since the historian Aulus Gellius (125-180 AD) said that the story was nonsense, and that Pythagoras chowed down on plenty of beans; according to Gellius, the ban was actually against eating testicles, which would seem to make more sense, but the bean theory seems to enjoy the widest acceptance.

Answer: Onions

The Greek historian Herodotus said that the ancient Egyptian priests were forbidden to eat onions because the priests were celibate, and onions were thought to be an aphrodisiac. The priests were also forbidden to eat mutton, fish, and beans (Pythagoras would have been proud of them). Most of the taboos regarding food and the priesthood had a religious basis.

There seem to have been few, if any, bans on what peasants could eat.

Answer: Tuna steak with boiled potatoes and butter

Most people know that Jews are only supposed to eat food that is kosher. Kosher is a Hebrew word that means "fit" or "proper." Jewish dietary laws are so complex that sometimes even leading rabbis do not agree on what is and what is not kosher.

Most people know that Jews do not eat pork (no pork chop), but they are also forbidden to eat meat and dairy products together (there goes the cheeseburger), and most forms of shellfish (no lobster for you). Most fish are kosher, provided they have fins and scales, but no lobster, shrimp, clams, or crab. Tuna, however, is fine, and there is no rule against mixing fish and dairy products, so you can have buttered potatoes with your tuna.

Jews not only have rules about what they can eat, but also rules about how it is prepared. Animals have to be butchered according to a precise ritual by a man called a shochet. They can drink wine and beer, but it must be made by Jews. And some foods that are normally kosher are not kosher during Passover. Oy, vey!

Answer: Friday

For many centuries, Roman Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on Friday, as a form of penance in commemoration of the death of Jesus on Good Friday. This requirement was done away with in 1966, although Catholics are still encouraged to abstain from meat on Fridays, and it is required on Fridays during Lent, on Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday. On other Fridays, Catholics may perform some other form of penance. An exception is England and Wales, which reinstated "meatless Fridays" in 2011.

The Orthodox Church has even more stringent fasting rules. Orthodox Christians are supposed to abstain from meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, oil, and wine on Wednesdays and Fridays, and have even stricter fasting rules during Lent. Exceptions are made for small children, pregnant women, and people who are ill.

Few Protestant denominations observe these fasting rules, with the exception of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church. Its rules are similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church.

Answer: Beef Wellington

Most devout Hindus do not eat beef, and many Hindus are vegetarians. Many Hindus also avoid eggs, onions, garlic, coffee, tea, and alcohol. But the most prominent taboo in the Hindu religion is the prohibition against eating beef. Article 48 of the Indian Constitution states: "The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle."

Nevertheless, India is a huge country, and there are many states with a significant Christian minority (Goa, Kerala, Manipur, and others), and three with a Christian majority (Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya). Many of these states allow the slaughter of cattle for food, although some allow only the slaughter of bulls and oxen, or place other restrictions on the preparation or sale of beef. These exceptions notwithstanding, it is a good idea to avoid offering beef to your Indian friends.

Answer: Pork

Muslim dietary laws are similar in many ways to Jewish ones; food is divided into two groups, that which may be eaten (halal), and that which is forbidden (haram). As in Jewish law, there are special procedures that must be followed when slaughtering animals for food, and the animals must be slaughtered by a Muslim, or one of "the People of the Book," i.e., a Jew or Christian. Most food that is considered kosher by Jews would be considered halal by Muslims.

The only meat that is specifically forbidden in the Koran for Muslims to eat is pork. Also forbidden are animals that have been found dead (carrion) and blood. Since the Islamic world is very extensive and covers many different cultures, some groups have local taboos. For example, some Muslims will eat shrimp, while others will not. In general, Islamic dietary laws are less strict and more permissive than Jewish laws.

Answer: Foie gras (goose liver)

Foie gras is specially farmed goose or duck liver (goose is best, but duck is more common), often served as thin slices marinated in cognac, briefly seared, and served on points of seasoned toast. It can also be made in a paste, and is then called pate de foie gras. It is very expensive, and absolutely delicious.

Foie gras is unpopular with animal rights advocates because of the way it is produced. The birds are fed on a diet of grain, and two or three weeks before they are slaughtered, are force fed addition grain through a tube inserted in their esophagus. This causes their livers to become very fatty and enlarge to several times their natural size. Some people claim this is animal cruelty, but many impartial observers, including veterinarians, have testified that the birds do not appear to undergo any discomfort.

On April 26, 2006 the Chicago City Council voted to ban the sale of foie gras in the city. This set off a storm of civil disobedience that would have made the Sons of Liberty proud. Prominent chefs declared they would ignore the law; others declared if they could not sell foie gras, they would give it away; still others filed lawsuits against the city. The law proved impossible to enforce, and was repealed in 2008. California attempted to pass a similar ban in 2012, only to have it overturned in federal court.

Answer: Shark fin soup

Shark fin soup has been a popular delicacy in China for over a thousand years. It is basically a chicken soup, with pork and mushrooms, and the shark fins are added to give the soup a unique texture. The fins actually have little taste. Many activists are upset about the large number of sharks that are killed to obtained their fins. In keeping with Chicago's long tradition of banning anything of which its liberal ruling elite does not approve, in 2012 a delegation of Chicago representatives in the state legislature passed a law prohibiting the sale of shark fin soup in Illinois.

Illinois is not alone in banning the consumption of shark fin soup; in 2015, ten states had laws banning its sale. With the exception of Illinois and Hawaii, they are all located on the east or west coasts, where such laws usually originate. Personally, I have few qualms about eating a creature which, given the opportunity, would gladly eat me.

Snake bite chicken is a real Chinese dish. If you are a member of PETA, you don't want to know about it.

Answer: Ketchup

In 2011, the government of France banned the use of tomato ketchup in French elementary schools, saying: "We have to ensure that children become familiar with French recipes so that they can hand them down to the following generation ... children have a tendency to use them (condiments) to mask the taste of whatever they are eating." In other words, kids like American ketchup more than Bearnaise sauce.

It would serve the French right if the United States banned Dijon mustard.

Answer: Chewing gum

Singapore banned the importation and sale of chewing gum in 1992, after vandals were allegedly using it to cover the sensors on the country's subway trains. The ban is still pretty much in effect, although in 2003 it was relaxed to allow a few brands of gum with therapeutic value and nicotine gum for those trying to quit smoking.

Despite what you may read on some internet sites, it is NOT legal to bring small amounts of gum into Singapore for personal use. While it is not absolutely illegal to chew gum, you will pay a fine of between $500 and $1000 if you spit it out, so it's probably best just to swallow it. Should you want to buy gum in Singapore, you can only get it from a pharmacist, and your name will be recorded. If you are caught trying to sell chewing gum without a license, you can face a massive fine, and up to two years in prison.