————————————————+———————+——————+—————+————————+———————+—————_Foods; nutrition and digestion

Food Materials | per |Matter| per |hydrates| Matter| per | per

| cent | per | cent| per | per | cent| pound

————————————————+———————+——————+—————+————————+———————+—————+————————

Cabbage | 89.6 | 1.80| 0.4 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 165

Spinach | 90.6 | 2.50| 0.5 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 120

Vegetable Marrow| 94.8 | 0.06| 0.2 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 120

Tomatoes | 91.9 | 1.30| 0.2 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 105

Lettuce | 94.1 | 1.40| 0.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 105

Celery | 93.4 | 1.40| 0.1 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 85

Rhubarb | 94.6 | 0.70| 0.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 105

Water Cress | 93.1 | 0.70| 0.5 | 8.7 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 110

Cucumbers | 95.9 | 0.80| 0.1 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 10

Asparagus | 91.7 | 2.20| 0.2 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 110

Brussels Sprouts| 93.7 | 1.50| 0.1 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 95

Beans (string) | 8.92 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 7.4 | 0.8 | 7.0 | 195

Beans (dried) | 12.6 | 22.5 | 1.8 | 59.6 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 1605

shelled) | 74.6 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 16.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 465

————————————————+———————+——————+—————+————————+———————+—————+————————

All fresh vegetables should be masticated to almost a fluid

consistency; otherwise, they are difficult of digestion, containing, as

they do, so much pulp.

They are diuretic, helping the kidneys and the skin to rid the system

of waste, and they are more laxative to the intestines than the root

vegetables, partly because of the salts which they contain and partly

because of the undigested vegetable fibre, which helps to move along

the waste in the intestines. This vegetable fibre, being coarse,

assists in cleansing the mucous lining of stomach and intestines,

and, if for no other reason than for this cleansing of kidneys and

intestines in the spring, when the system is most sluggish, the use of

green vegetables is to be commended.

In larger cities, fresh vegetables are in the markets the year around,

but if they are raised in greenhouses, or in any way forced, they lack

the matured flavor and they also lack the iron which the rays of the

sun give. If raised in the south and shipped for a distance, they are

not fresh and they do not have as good an effect upon the system as

when fresh and fully matured by the sun.

All greens, as spinach, chard, dandelions and beet tops, as previously

stated, contain iron and build red blood corpuscles.

It is well, then, to eat freely of fresh vegetables in their season,

even though they do not appreciably build tissue or furnish energy. By

their effect upon the blood, the kidneys, skin, and intestines, they

make sluggish vital organs more efficient.

Tomatoes and rhubarb are often, and with reason, classed under fruits.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Fruits]

Technically speaking, fruits include all plant products which bear

or contain a seed. They are valuable for their acids and organic

salts—citrates, malates, or tartrates of potassium, sodium, magnesium,

and calcium. In the juices of citrous fruits, are citrates of above

minerals.

The fruit juices are readily absorbed and carried at once to the liver,

where the sodium, magnesium, and potassium are released and the acids

oxidized and changed to carbonates. They increase the alkalinity of the

blood. These alkalis are soon eliminated through the kidneys, which

accounts for the diuretic effect of fruits.

The seeds in the small fruits are not digested, but they serve the

purpose of increasing intestinal peristalsis and of assisting the

movement of the contents of the intestines. The skin and the fibre

of fruits also assist the intestines in this way, just as the fibre

in vegetables does. Fruits may be classified into acid and sweet

fruits. Under _acid fruits_ are the citrous group—lemons, limes, grape

fruit, oranges, cranberries, gooseberries, whortleberries, pineapples,

currants, and rhubarb—if rhubarb is to be classed as a fruit.

There has been a commonly accepted theory that where a blood test shows

evidence of too much uric acid, acid fruits are to be avoided, but the

reverse is true. It has been fully demonstrated that the use of acid

fruits increases the alkalinity,—or neutralizes the acids in the blood.

In case of an excess of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, lemon, or

citrous fruits are valuable about half an hour before a meal as they

decrease the secretion of the hydrochloric acid into the stomach.

Where hydrochloric acid is limited, acids are given after a meal to

supplement the deficient amount.

The sweetening of acid fruits does not detract from the value of the

acids or of organic salts.

All acid fruits stimulate the action of the kidneys and the

skin,—particularly lemons, limes, grape fruit, and oranges, and

wherever the kidneys and skin are not sufficiently active, these fruits

should be eaten freely.

It is difficult to make a decided distinction between sweet and acid

fruits. The best guide is in the amount of sugar required to make them

palatable. Some species of cherry are distinctly sour, while others are

sweet. The same is true of apples, peaches, plums, etc.

Under _sweet_ or _bland_ fruits are pears, raspberries, grapes,

bananas, blackberries, blueberries, melons, apricots, and some peaches,

apples, and plums.

The large majority of fruits do not contain sufficient sugar to make

them valuable for nourishment. Their chief value is in their appetizing

flavor, and in the acids, and salts. Dates, figs, prunes, and dried

grapes (raisins) are exceptions. As will be noted by the following

table, these fruits contain a large amount of carbohydrates in the form

of sugar. The larger amount of protein in these sweet fruits is largely

in the seeds and, as the seeds are not digested, they have no real food

value to the individual.

Figs and prunes are laxative,—probably the laxative effect of figs is

due to the seeds, and of prunes to the salts and acids. However, prunes

are free from tannic acid.

TABLE III—FRUITS

————————————————+———————+———————+———————+————————+—————+—————+—————

Food Materials | Per | Per | Per | Per | Per | Per | Per

————————————————+———————+———————+———————+————————+—————+—————+—————

Apples | 82.50 | 0.40 | 0.5 | 12.5 | 0.4 | 2.7| 1.0

Apricots | 85.00 | 1.10 | 0.6 | 12.4 | 0.5 | 3.1| 1.0

Peaches | 88.80 | 0.50 | 0.2 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 3.4| 0.7

Plums | 78.40 | 1.00 | 0.2 | 14.8 | 0.5 | 4.3| 1.0

Cherries | 84.00 | 0.80 | 0.8 | 10.0 | 0.6 | 3.8| 1.0

Gooseberries | 86.00 | 0.40 | 0.8 | 8.9 | 0.5 | 2.7| 1.5

Currants | 85.20 | 0.40 | 0.8 | 7.9 | 0.5 | 4.6| 1.4

Strawberries | 89.10 | 1.00 | 0.5 | 6.3 | 0.7 | 2.2| 1.0

Whortleberries| 76.30 | 0.70 | 3.0 | 5.8 | 0.4 |12.2| 1.6

Cranberries | 86.50 | 0.50 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 6.2| 2.2

Oranges | 86.70 | 0.90 | 0.6 | 8.7 | 0.6 | 1.5| 1.8

Lemons | 89.30 | 1.00 | 0.9 | 8.3 | 0.5 | 1.5| 1.8

Pineapples | 89.30 | 0.04 | 0.3 | 9.7 | 0.3 | 1.5| 7.0

| | | | | | |

Pears | 83.90 | 0.40 | 0.6 | 11.5 | 0.4 | 3.1| 0.1

Blackberries | 88.90 | 0.90 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 5.2| 1.6

Raspberries | 84.40 | 1.00 | 2.1 | 5.2 | 0.6 | 7.4| 1.4

Mulberries | 84.70 | 0.30 | 0.7 | 11.4 | 0.6 | 0.9| 1.8

Grapes | 79.00 | 1.00 | 1.0 | 15.5 | 0.5 | 2.5| 0.5

Watermelons | 92.90 | 0.30 | 0.1 | 6.5 | 0.2 | 1.0| 0.5

Bananas | 74.00 | 1.50 | 0.7 | 22.9 | 0.9 | 0.2| 0.5

| | | | | | |

Dates, dried | 2.08 | 4.40 | 2.1 | 65.1 | 1.5 | 5.5| 7.0

Figs, dried | 2.00 | 5.50 | 0.9 | 62.8 | 2.3 | 7.3| 1.2

Prunes, dried | 2.64 | 2.40 | 0.8 | 66.2 | 1.5 | 7.3| 2.7

Raisins | 10.60 | 2.50 | 4.7 | 74.7 | 3.1 | 1.7| 2.7

————————————————+———————+———————+———————+————————+—————+—————+—————

Care should be exercised in selecting ripe fruits and those which have

not started to decay. The difficulty with so many fruits, which must be

shipped from a distance, is, that, in order to reach their destination

in fair condition, outwardly, they are picked before ripe and there

is too much tannic acid in them. When fruits are allowed to ripen on

the trees, the tannic acid is changed to sugar and fruit juices. One

test of a ripened apple is to cut it with a steel knife—if the blade

turns black, or if the cut surface of the apple turns brown in a few

minutes, it should not be eaten, for it indicates an excess of tannin.

It is this tannin which gives the small boy, with his green apples,

excruciating pains. It will be recalled that the tannin from the bark

of trees, so toughens the elastic skin of animals that we can wear

this skin for shoes. The effect upon the live skin of the stomach and

intestines, from the tannin in food, is not pronounced in toughening

the skin, because of the activity and resistance of live matter.

Bananas are commonly picked green, because they decay so quickly that

if they were picked ripe they would spoil before reaching the northern

markets. The above table shows that bananas contain nearly twenty-three

per cent of carbohydrates, which, in an immature state, are largely

starches. The natural ripening process changes the starch to sugar,

thus making them more easily digested. The starch globules, when not

matured on the tree, are not easily broken and are thus difficult of

digestion. Baking breaks the globules; a baked banana is thus more

readily digested.

Nitrogenous Foods

As previously stated, in a mixed diet meat and eggs are the chief

sources of nitrogenous foods. Next to these come the legumes.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Meat]

Meat is almost all digested in the stomach by the gastric juice, which

changes it into peptone. It is needless to say that it should be

thoroughly masticated that there may be no delay in the prompt action

of the gastric juice upon it. If any part passes into the intestine

undigested, the process is continued by the trypsin of the pancreatic

juice. The peptone is absorbed as peptone and after it passes through

the inner coating of the intestines, it is changed back to protein and

carried by the blood and lymph to all tissues of the body, where it is

used for growth and repairs. As stated, any excess of protein above

that needed for growth and repair, is oxidized in the blood, yielding

energy and heat, and the waste is eliminated through the kidneys and

the bile. The red blood corpuscles, which are nitrogenous, are broken

down in the liver and discharged through the bile.

TABLE IV—ANIMAL FOODS

————————————————————+——————+———————+——————+—————————+——————+————————

Food Materials | Per | Per | Per | Per | Per | Per

————————————————————+——————+———————+——————+—————————+——————+————————

Beef, Fresh | 54.0 | 17.0 | 19.0 | ...... | O.7 | 1,105

Flank | 54.0 | 17.0 | 19.0 | ...... | 0.7 | 1,105

Porterhouse | 52.4 | 19.1 | 17.9 | ...... | 0.8 | 1,100

Sirloin steak | 54.0 | 16.5 | 16.1 | ...... | 0.9 | 975

Round | 60.7 | 19.0 | 12.8 | ...... | 1.0 | 890

Rump | 45.0 | 13.8 | 20.2 | ...... | 0.7 | 1,090

Corned beef | 49.2 | 14.3 | 23.8 | ...... | 4.6 | 1,245

Leg cutlets | 68.3 | 20.1 | 7.5 | ...... | 1.0 | 695

Fore quarter | 54.2 | 15.1 | 6.0 | ...... | 0.7 | 535

Leg, hind | 51.2 | 15.1 | 14.7 | ...... | 0.8 | 890

Loin Chops | 42.0 | 13.5 | 28.3 | ...... | 0.7 | 1,415

Lamb | 49.2 | 15.6 | 16.3 | ...... | 0.85| 967

Ham: | | | | | |

Loin chops | 41.8 | 13.4 | 24.2 | ...... | 0.8 | 1,245

Ham, smoked | 34.8 | 14.2 | 33.4 | ...... | 4.2 | 1,635

Frankfurter | 57.2 | 19.6 | 18.6 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 1,155

Fowls | 47.1 | 13.7 | 12.3 | ...... | O.7 | 765

Goose | 38.5 | 13.4 | 29.8 | ...... | 0.7 | 1,475

Turkey | 42.4 | 16.1 | 18.4 | ...... | 0.8 | 1,060

Liver (sheep) | 61.2 | 23.1 | 9.0 | 5.0 |......| ......

Sweetbreads | 70.9 | 16.8 | 12.1 | ...... | 1.6 | ......

and salted | 35.7 | 24.3 | 31.6 | ...... | 8.5 | ......

Brain: | 80.6 | 8.8 | 9.3 | ...... | 1.1 | ......

Black, dressed | 41.9 | 10.3 | 0.5 | ...... | 0.6 | 215

Cod steaks | 72.4 | 16.9 | 0.5 | ...... | 1.0 | 335

Shad roe | 71.2 | 23.4 | 3.8 | ...... | 1.6 | 595

Whitefish, dressed| 46.1 | 10.2 | 1.3 | ...... | 0.7 | 245

smoked and dried| 46.0 | 19.1 | 14.0 | ...... | 1.9 | 945

Sardines, canned | 53.6 | 24.0 | 12.1 | ...... | 5.3 | 955

Salmon, canned | 59.3 | 19.3 | 15.3 | ...... | 1.2 | 1,005

Oysters, solid | 88.3 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 235

shell | 80.8 | 10.6 | 1.1 | 5.1 | 2.3 | 340

Mussels | 42.7 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 140

Lobster, in shell | 31.1 | 5.5 | 0.7 | ...... | 0.6 | 130

Crab, in shell | 34.1 | 7.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 185

Shrimp, canned | 70.8 | 25.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 520

etc. | 17.4 | 4.2 | 0.7 | ...... | 0.2 | 105

————————————————————+——————+———————+——————+—————————+——————+————————

In the composition of meat, of course there is more or less fat,

varying from two to forty per cent, according to the animal and to the

condition at the time of killing.

It is possible to combine the fat and the lean of meat so as to meet

the requirements of the body without waste. About ninety-seven per cent

of the meat consumed is assimilated by the system, while a large part

of the vegetable matter consumed is excreted as refuse. The compounds

contained in the animal foods are much like those of the body,

therefore, they require comparatively little digestion to prepare them

for assimilation—this work having been done by the animal—while the

vegetable compounds require much change by the digestive system before

they can be used in the body.

Fish and sea foods are, many of them, rich in protein, as seen by the

above table. Note that sardines contain the largest proportion of

protein and next to these, shad roe.

There is a prevalent idea that fish is brain food. In so far as fish is

easily digested, it builds brain tissue, but no more so than beef, or

any food containing a goodly proportion of protein, easily digested,

absorbed, and assimilated.

Lobsters are difficult of digestion and they contain little nutrition,

so they are not valuable as a food.

Oysters, raw, are easier to digest than when cooked. Oysters should not

be eaten during the spawning season from May to September.

Roasted flesh seems to be more completely digested than boiled meat,

but raw meat is more easily digested than cooked. Roasted chicken and

veal are tender, easily masticated, and easily and rapidly digested

in the stomach. This is one reason why the white meats are considered

a good diet for the sick-room, especially in the case of stomach

difficulty. Fat meats remain in the stomach a much longer time than

lean meats; thus, gastric digestion of pork, which is largely fat, is

especially difficult. Fried pork, in which the fat is heated to a very

high degree, is very difficult of digestion. (See page 197).

The chief objection to pork, however, is that hogs are scavengers and

live upon all sorts of refuse. Another objection is that in preparing

hogs for the market, the effort of the farmer is to force the feeding

and get them as fat as possible. This excess of fat may result in

degeneration of the meat tissue. The latter objection does not hold,

however, for hogs carefully fatted for home consumption, or for hogs

which run in the forests and live upon nuts, as do the beech fed hogs

of the south.

The best meats are from young animals which have been kept fat and have

not been subjected to any work to toughen the muscles.

Preserved and canned meats should be eaten with the utmost caution,

not only because of the inferior meat used in the preparation of these

foods, but also from the fact that they may become putrid after being

canned.

The proportion of _albuminoids_, _gelatinoids_ and _extractives_ in

meat vary with different meats and with different cuts of the same meat.

The _albuminoids_ of meat include the meat tissue, or the muscle cells.

These constitute by far the greater part of the meat.

The _gelatinoids_ are the connective tissue forming the sheath of the

muscle and of bundles of muscles, the skin, tendons, and the casein

of bone. Gelatines are made from these and, if pure and prepared in a

cleanly manner, they are wholesome.

Gelatin is distinguishable in rich meat soups, which jelly upon cooling.

While the gelatinoids are not muscle, they keep the muscles from being

consumed when starches, sugars, and fats are lacking, and, in this

sense, may be considered more in the nature of carbohydrates.

The _extractives_ consist of a substance within the lean meat, known as

creatin. This creatin is not a food; it is an appetizer, and gives to

cooked meats, broths, etc., their pleasing flavor. In case of anaemia

where it is necessary to build up red blood corpuscles, it is desirable

to have the patient take the blood of beef, the thought of which is

usually repellant, but it may be made very palatable if it is heated

sufficiently to bring out the extractives, or flavor, and then seasoned.

Unless the beef extracts on the market contain the blood tissue in

addition to the extractives, they are not particularly nourishing and

are only valuable in soups, etc., as appetizers.

One reason why meat soups constitute the first course at dinner is

because the extractives stimulate the appetite and start the flow of

gastric juices. Bouillons contain no nourishment, because the proteins

have been coagulated by the vigorous boiling, but they may be used as a

basis for vegetables, rice, or barley to give them flavor.

The best method is to make one’s own soup from the connective tissues

(gelatinoids) and meat tissue.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Eggs]

Eggs consist chiefly of two nutrients,—protein, and fat (ten per cent),

combined with water, phosphorous, and ash. Eggs are a wholesome source

of protein and are, therefore, classed as nitrogenous foods.

The fat and the iron are in the yolk, which is about one-third fat. The

yolk also contains phosphorous and some ash. The white is practically

free from fat but contains sulphur, phosphorous and a very little ash.

The white and the yolk contain almost equal quantities of protein.

The white of the egg is said to be pure albumen; the chief ash

constituent is common salt. The total phosphorous in the white of the

egg is equivalent to about two per cent phosphoric acid and the total

phosphorous in the yolk is equivalent to one per cent.

The dark stain made by eggs on silver is due to the sulphur contained

in them. The iron in the egg is valuable to assist in building red

corpuscles.

The large part of the egg, as other proteins, is changed, mostly in the

stomach, into peptone, absorbed as peptone and then changed back again

into protein after absorption. That not digested in the stomach is

changed in the intestine, as is the case with other proteins.

Eggs are, no doubt, excellent articles of food for nutrition and for

tissue building. They contain more water than cheese, but are more

concentrated than milk or oysters. They have practically the same

relative value in the diet as meat, and make a very good substitute for

meat. Egg yolk in abundance is often prescribed where it is necessary

to supply a very nutritious and easily assimilated diet.

One of the best methods of preparing eggs, which is especially valuable

for those having delicate stomachs or for those who need to build up

red blood corpuscles with the iron in the yolk, is in egg lemonade or

orangeade. Thoroughly beat the egg, add the juice of half a lemon or

orange, sugar to taste, and fill the glass with water.

The citric acid in these fruits partly digests the egg, changing it

into egg albumin,—the egg becomes limpid, no longer stringy. From this

condition the gastric juice quickly changes it to peptone.

Grape juice, cream, and cocoa may be used in place of lemon or orange,

in order to give variety where it is necessary to take many of them,

but the grape juice acid does not partially digest the egg as the juice

of the lemon does.

Eggnog is another means of taking raw eggs.

One method which any housewife can use to test the freshness of eggs is

to drop them into a strong, salt brine made of two ounces of salt to a

pint of water. A fresh egg will at once sink to the bottom. After the

third day the surface of the shell will be even with the surface of the

water and with increasing age they will rise still higher.

There is a prevalent opinion that if an egg is boiled hard it is

difficult of digestion, but this depends entirely upon the mastication.

If it is masticated so that it is a pulp before swallowed, a hard

boiled egg is digested as readily as a soft boiled one. If it is not

thoroughly masticated, then an egg should not be boiled longer than

three to four minutes, or should be put into boiling water and allowed

to remain in the water for six minutes without actively boiling. The

latter method cooks the egg through more evenly. Another method of

cooking the yolk evenly with the whites is to put the egg in cold

water, let it come to a boil, and then again immerse in cold water. Or

the egg may be put in cold water, let come almost to a boil, removed

from the stove, and let stand ten to twelve minutes in the hot water.

Any one of the last three methods cooks the white and the yolk evenly.

Carbo-Nitrogenous Foods

Under this class come cereals, legumes, nuts, milk, and milk products.

In these foods the nitrogenous and carbonaceous elements are more

evenly proportioned than in either the carbonaceous or nitrogenous

groups. The different food elements in this group are so evenly divided

that one could live for a considerable length of time upon any one

food. Some animals build flesh from nuts alone, while the herbivorous

animals live upon cereals and plants.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Cereals]

Under cereals, used by man for food, come wheat, oats, rye, barley,

rice, and corn. As will be noted by the table below, cereals contain

a large proportion of starch and are therefore to be used largely for

heat and energy. Rice contains the largest proportion and next to rice,

wheat flour.

TABLE V—CEREALS

—————————————————————+——————+———————+——————+—————————————+————

|Water |Protein|Fat +——————+——————+Ash

Food Materials |Per |Per |Per |Starch|Crude |Per

| | | |Per |Per |

—————————————————————+——————+———————+——————+—————————————+————

Wheat | 10.4 | 12.1 | 2.1 | 71.6 | 1.8 | 1.9

Rice | 12.4 | 7.4 | 0.4 | 79.2 | 0.2 | 0.4

Oats | 11.0 | 11.8 | 5.0 | 59.7 | 9.5 | 3.0

Rye | 11.6 | 10.6 | 1.7 | 72.0 | 1.7 | 1.9

Wheat bread | 32.5 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 55.8 | .....| 1.0

Graham bread | 34.2 | 9.5 | 1.4 | 53.3 | .....| 1.6

Rye bread | 30.0 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 59.7 | .....| 1.4

Soda crackers | 8.0 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 70.5 | .....| 1.8

Graham crackers | 5.0 | 9.8 | 13.5 | 69.7 | | 2.0

Oatmeal crackers | 4.9 | 10.4 | 13.7 | 69.6 | .....| 1.4

Oyster crackers | 3.8 | 11.3 | 4.8 | 77.5 | .....| 2.6

Macaroni | 13.1 | 9.0 | 0.3 | 76.8 | .....| 0.8

Flour, wheat | 12.5 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 74.9 | .....| 0.5

Corn Meal | 15.0 | 9.2 | 3.8 | 70.6 | .....| 1.4

Oatmeal | 7.6 | 15.1 | 7.1 | 68.2 | .....| 2.0

—————————————————————+——————+———————+——————+—————————————+————

There is no part of the world, except the Arctic regions, where cereals

are not extensively cultivated. From the oats and rye of the north, to

the rice of the hot countries, grains of some kind are staple foods.

“An idea of the importance of cereal foods in the diet may be gathered

from the following data, based upon the results obtained in dietary

studies with a large number of American families:—Vegetable foods,

including flour, bread, and other cereal products, furnished fifty-five

per cent of the total food, thirty-nine per cent of the protein, eight

per cent of the fat, and ninety-five per cent of the carbohydrates

of the diet. The amounts which cereal foods alone supplied were

twenty-two per cent of the total food, thirty-one per cent of the

protein, seven per cent of the fat and fifty-five per cent of the total

carbohydrates—that is, about three-quarters of the vegetable protein,

one-half of the carbohydrates, and seven-eighths of the vegetable fat

were supplied by the cereals. Oat, rice, and wheat breakfast foods

together furnished about two per cent of the total food in protein,

one per cent of the total fat, and four per cent of the carbohydrates

of the ordinary mixed diet, as shown by the statistics cited. These

percentage values are not high in themselves, but it must be remembered

that they represent large quantities when we consider the food consumed

by a family in a year.”[7]