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In early 2020, the mysterious new coronavirus puzzled researchers and panicked millions Scientists had few answers Public health officials were in disanay Few authorities agreed about what, precisely, the coronavirus was, how lethal it could be or how it was spread In this whirlpool of fear and uncertainty, homegrown food cures quickly spread around the world in a global game ot telephone, facilitated by easy forwarding capabilities on Faccbook, and Twitter Miracle food cures promised fast results Rumor had it that boiled garlic water cured the disease Rasam cum;fresh mango, papaya, and durian all were promised to strengthen the immune system Here, Bitar highlights two prominent ones that continue to run amok on the internet: the Israeli secret lemon baking soda tea cure and the Yoniba Nigerian hot pepper stew remedy Both the Israeli tea and Yoniba slew pick up larger cultural currents regarding the special properties of certain foods and flavors -- the sour tang of lemon, the sharp pains of hot peppers and blend them with deep-seated and dangerous ideas about the properties of certain peoples
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