Alan wrote:
>Raw string beans contain a toxin known as "phasine". It is
>a strong diuretic and small amounts are even used by the
>medical industry in diuretic medicines.

Hi Alan.  This is not the reply I hoped for.  You said in
another post it's the bean and not the pod.  I wonder how
much of this stuff is in the immature bean that's eaten with
the pod.
I've never noticed a diuretic effect when eating them, but this
summer I'll have to pay more attention.  Thanks for the
"heads up."

>It is amazing how the
>Americans tend to view the advice of people from other
countries as
>somehow meaning that they themselves are inferior in
some way.

Excuse me, but many of us on the list are Americans who in
no way fit this description.

Cheers,
Martha