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What's food got to do with destiny?

The power of superstition, ritual and the belief in magic when it comes to food.

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/Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ)

Contributors:

Jayanti 'Jonty' Rajagopalan, owner of Detours India, Hyderabad;
Mae Azango, journalist with FrontPage Africa, Liberia;
Tasha Marks, food historian, London.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 27 Dec 2020 08:32GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service News Internet

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Broadcasts

  • Christmas Eve 2020 04:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Australasia, South Asia & East Asia only
  • Christmas Eve 2020 06:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Christmas Eve 2020 09:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
  • Christmas Eve 2020 13:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Christmas Eve 2020 21:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Christmas Eve 2020 23:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Australasia, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 27 Dec 2020 08:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service News Internet

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