Why can't a woman can food while on her period?

Question

My mother recently told me women can't can food on their period, otherwise it will all go bad and rot. She even said it happened when my aunt was helping my grandmother can vegetables. I said "no waaay! I don't believe that," and my step-dad (who is always skeptical and practical) backed her up. Is this true?? What is the science behind this?

Answer 1

It's

BS

unless your aunt wasn't careful about sanitizing the jars and then its not about her time of the month its about knowing how to put food up safely.

Edit:

I can lots of food and I don't have the grocery bills of my city counterparts.  I live on land I can grow food on and I can a bunch of it.  The rest I eat fresh.  

Mine's better than yours.

I live in Wisconsin and we all know how to put food on the table when the store is closed.

Answer 2

No i don't believe this at all.

If there was anything in this food caners would have noticed when their employees were menstruating as the returns could be isolated to only come from women canning them on a certain day.

This stems very much from religious ritual which occured all over the world labelling women as dirty and unclean during menstruation.

Christianity has walked away from this thankfully but it still prevails in Christian communities among other communities.

Answer 3

Well you've found out a few things.You're able to can food anytime of the month.Your mom doesn't know too much about canning and the science that goes along with it.And your step dad isn't always skeptical and practical.Most important,you've learned to ask questions when something doesn't sound right.Even people we love don't know what they're talking about sometimes.

Answer 4

It is not true, it is your classic "old wives tale".  There is no science behind it.

It's based on the same hard science that led women in the Old Testament to be called unclean and forced to live outside the village during their periods...ie...primitive superstition, misogyny, and fear of womens ability to "create" life.

Your mom and stepdad are both gullible.

Answer 5

wow

thats so cute.

i didn't know women still did that kind of stuff in the kitchen.

i am asian, the only thing the girls do in the kitchen is pop a instant ramein in a pot of boiling water.

where in america is this?

i think its just a myth.

Answer 6

there is no science to back this up it is simple an old wives tale,born out of superstition and fear,if this really happened to your aunt it was just coincidence,there are many such superstions about periods such as you cannot water plants because they die and you cannot toch milk because you turn it sour,the list goes on,each as redulios as the next,I have proved many of theease wronge my self,in the old days they dident know what caused periods,as bleeding was usually a sigh of injury people thought it was a bad thing some cultures belived it was contagous(early new zealand Maroi mad the woman stay in huts out side the village while they had their peroiods) Now days we know periods are normal and healthly yet still some of the superstion and old fear remains,just ignor your well meaning reitives talks about the terible things that might happen,theres nothing you can't do when you have your period.

Answer 7

that's a bunch of c**p.

who cans food, anyway?

Answer 8

i know all about asia and i think that some of ny friends mother's cook during their period. nothing ever happens. but i have heard that it is a superstition in asian countries and sometimes i mean occasionally it happens. it is due to the blood the body produces. i think so i am not so sure about it. sorry if i am wong.

Answer 9

As a guy helping to can food for many years. I couldn't say but with the frequency of the canning done during canning season, I would not believe it, because we were busy so often, for so long.

Would be interesting to get feedback from and old(er) timer than me.

Here are two links on the subject. If you were asking from a Biblical perspective I'd say not. According to the second page there is scientific reasons why you shouldn't do it.

Please don't say it was anti-woman anything, because men needed women to survive and if women didn't do it the men would have so saying it was men that made up the rule is sour grapes.

My advice dive right in, anyone who still cans needs all the help they can get. That is coming from a guy who knows how to can!

Answer 10

Sounds like total BS, but it could be a great excuse to get out of helping with the food canning.

Answer 11

my mom works for campbells soup company  and cans food 5 days a week.  what tha frig are you yaking about???