For me, a seemingly simple trip to an ethnic food market becomes an adventure. When I have the time, I like nothing better than walking up and down the mystery aisles, examining every small box, tin, and bag; trying to decipher the foreign script. I sometimes have to leave because I sense that the shop owner is beginning to suspect that I am either crazy or casing the joint.

On my last trip to Calgary, I had gone into a Korean grocery store on a search for my younger son’s favourite hot sauce, apparently the only condiment these days for everything from pizza to subs. That is when I found a package in the dried bean section labelled, “Job’s Tears.”  The hard, off-white, broken pieces of grains-beans-pasta didn’t look anything like anyone’s tears to me. Frankly they looked a bit like barley. I bought a bag with the intention of looking it up later. 

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into! As it turned out, I even discovered that I had a necklace made from Job’s tears that my sister brought back from Mexico over 30 years ago. I had fun with this one.

Job’s tears—proper name Croix lacryma-jobi— is a member of the grass family, closely related to corn.  A native of Asia, it is now found growing wild in all tropical parts of the world, particularly along roadsides in wet ditches. In its native China, it has been an important crop since 2000 BC; as a major food staple, in herbal medicine, and jewelry. In fact, its presence in the jewelry world is probably its main claim to fame, certainly among tourists. This explains its name, or should I say “names”!

Each seed of the plant is produced individually, enclosed in a tear-shaped shell that is naturally a pale grey colour. When this seed is ripe and the flower falls off, what is left is a perfect natural bead with naturally occurring holes in each end. Thus the plant is sometimes called the Bead Seed plant.

For thousands of years, necklaces, rosaries, and musical instruments, have been made using this tear-shaped bead, most universally known as Job’s tears. It was named for Job of the Bible who, besides having endless patience, suffered a lot of woe in his life.  It has also been variously nicknamed Christ’s tears, St. Mary’s tears, David’s tears, and Juno’s tears.

 I was pleasantly surprised when my younger son— of the hot sauce addiction— knew right away who Job was and more important, how to properly pronounce the name. I am relieved that our investment in his college studies is paying off!

I should also add here that there is a lot of hocus-pocus surrounding the beads, and it is a well known fact that having 7 beads in your pocket will bring you good luck.

Getting past the more cosmetic and frivolous uses of the plant, Job’s tears is one of the earliest known cultivated foods, up there with rice, wheat, and barley.

With its hard seed coat removed, the white kernel inside can be cooked and eaten like rice or barley in soups and cereals, or ground to make flour. The cereal made from the kernel is known as Adlay, another word that the grain sometimes is called. You may also hear the term “Chinese pearl barley”, or the Japanese name, Yi-mi. A coffee-like beverage is made from the grain in China and in India, a beer. In North America, where until now Job’s Tear was hard to find, it was often confused with pearl barley, which it is nutritionally quite different from, however, you will find this given as a substitute in recipes.

Job’s Tear is an important source of protein, calcium, iron, and fibre. It also contains some very unique chemical components. The grain has always been an important component in Chinese herbal medicine, specifically in diet therapy. It has long been recognized to reduce the pain and swelling in arthritic joints, said to be eased by eating the grain in soups or porridge every day.  While there is the usual plethora of other promises, it seems that there is scientific evidence of anti-inflammatory chemicals in the grain that have been shown to reduce joint swelling.

Currently, the most focused study is being done in the area of cancer research.  A low incidence of cancer in the area of China where Job’s tears is eaten on a regular basis has led several groups of researchers to investigate the chemical components of the grain that might be the cause. One group in Japan has now produced a medicine that is currently being clinically tested in the States; the first Chinese herbal medicine that has ever reached this stage. There are chemicals in Job’s tears that seem to inhibit the growth of tumour cells as well as make the cancer itself less painful while producing few side effects.

There is much debate as to whether the whole (food) isn’t always better than the sum of the parts.

You can probably find Job’s tears in many health food stores now sold as a supplement. Or just go to an Oriental grocery store; it costs a lot less! A few tablespoons added to a soup or casserole can’t hurt, and it may make your tired, sore joints feel better. You will also be benefiting from the other nutritional components of this ancient grain.  At the very least, you will have added another food to your diet.

I just can’t believe that for 30 years, I have had this seed necklace in my jewelry box, and didn’t know anything about its history.