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what on earth are "digestives" anyway

@Felthry I know they're a relatively simple type of biscuit, but I don't think that's the only thing people mean by that word.

@BatElite I'm thinking of the cookie thing anyway, we just have no point of reference for what they actually are or why they're called digestives of all things

@Felthry According to wikipedia, they were invented to aid in digestion.

19th century folks had interesting ideas towards food sometimes.

@Felthry in the mid-19th century, some people thought that thin crispy cookies (or biscuits, in the UK) made from coarse brown wheat flower would aid in digestion.

They turned out to be relatively tasty, so, people just started eating them as a treat.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestiv

@packbat is there an equivalent in the US to use as a comparison?

@Felthry Animal crackers might be a little similar? Relatively thin and crispy cookies.

@Felthry @packbat I've been informed that graham crackers are the closest US equivalent but I've never had one of those

@troubleMoney @Felthry graham crackers are a little denser and use a different flour, but yeah - that's another reasonable comparison

@packbat @troubleMoney similar in having a weird medical background too, graham crackers were marketed originally as an anti-aphrodisiac

@packbat @troubleMoney at least the cookies are somewhat based in fact, because fiber does help digestion

@packbat @troubleMoney afawk there's zero evidence that graham flour actually has any anti-aphrodisiac effect whatsoever, or indeed any psychoactive effect at all

@packbat @Felthry My love's father somehow got the idea they're called 'digestible cookies', and even if it were possible to correct him who would want to spoil something pure like that?

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