Re: [gourds] Gourd shell composition

John K. Stacy (gourds@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 14 Jan 1998 21:07:02 -0600

hdqrs@worldnet.att.net wrote:

<snip>

> The silica that is contained in gourds is in the very outer shell as with
> corn, beans and other same type seeds and cannot be digested by any
> digestive systems I know.  This is the very reason that people with very
> small pockets (pockets get bigger on the outside) in their intestines ( I
> cannot think of the proper name) 

"Diverticuli"

cannot eat such grains as the silica
> containing outer shell gets lodged in the cavities and they end with cancer
> of the intestines.
> 
> What you have done in effect is eat many very sharp and small quartz crystals.
> 
> old jim

-- 
Gourdially,
John & Susan
The Gourd Artist's Guild
http://www.hal-pc.org/~jstacy