Survival of the Sickest Chapter 4--Hey, Can You Do Me A Fava?

This chapter of Survival of The Sickest was about fava beans. Fava beans are, as the name suggest, beans. They can be eaten, but can be harmful and even deadly to some people--people who have favism. The beans contain two sugar-related compounds called vicine and convicine. These produce free radicals (un-paired electrons) and the people with favism have hydrogen peroxide formed from the vicine and convicine, which then attacks the red blood cells, breaking them down.

Favism is a hereditary disease, passed on from parents to children. It is more common in males, though, because of the X chromosone. Favism is also known as G6PD, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. People with G6PD have a different circulation of sugar in their body. More red blood cells in their bodies will be destroyed because of G6PD. Therefore, when they eat fava beans, which destroy even more red blood cells, they can die.

This chapter also explained about the different types of self-defense systems in plants. Plants can be toxic, like spicy pepper, which has capsaicin in it. Capsaicin makes the pepper, spicy, but it is also considered poison. People then developed an ability to taste the bitterness of poison, which allowed us to survive longer and reproduce. However, just because we can eat something, doesn't mean that it's safe! Like fava beans. And sometimes if you maybe overdose of super spicy chili peppers.