to take a meal just before going to bed, for the digestive organs cannot
do their work properly, if at all, while the body is asleep, and the
food not being digested is liable to ferment and result in dyspepsia.
The 'sinking feeling' sometimes complained of if a meal is not eaten
late at night and described as a kind of hunger is probably due to an
abnormal secretion of acid in the stomach. A glass of hot water will
often relieve this discomfort. This feeling is seldom experienced by
vegetarians of long standing. The natives of India, it is said, do not
experience it at all, which fact leads us to surmise the cause to be in
some way connected with flesh-eating. Farinaceous foods, however,
prepared as soup, porridge, gruel, pultaceous puddings, etc., when
eaten, as is customary, without proper insalivation, are liable to be
improperly digested and to ferment, giving rise to the sensation
described as a 'sinking feeling' and erroneously thought to be hunger.
It is an excellent rule that prescribes fasting when without hunger.
When there is no appetite do not eat. It is an example of conventional
stupidity that we eat because it is 'meal time,' even though there be
not the slightest feeling of genuine hunger. Leaving out of
consideration the necessitous poor and those who for their living engage
themselves in hard physical toil, it is safe to say that hardly one
person in a thousand has ever felt real hunger. Yet no one was ever the
worse for waiting upon appetite. No one was ever starved by not eating
because of having no appetite. Loss of appetite is a sign that the
digestive organs require a rest. It is better to go without food for a
time than to force oneself to eat against inclination. The forcing of
oneself to eat to 'keep up one's strength,' is perhaps the quickest way
to bring down one's strength by overworking the system and burdening it
with material it does not need. Eat by appetite, not by time. Eat
frequently when the appetite demands frequent satisfaction, and seldom
when seldom hungry. These rules hold good at all times and for everyone.
Loss of appetite during sickness should not be looked upon as anything
serious in itself, but as a sign that the system does not require food.
A sick man like a well man will feel hunger as soon as food is needed,
and the practice of tempting the appetite with rich and costly foods is
not only a waste of money but is injurious physiologically. Possibly
there may be pathological conditions under which hunger cannot make
itself felt, but it would seem contrary to Nature as far as the writer,
a layman, understands the matter. At least, leaving abnormal conditions
of health out of consideration, we can say this much affirmatively: if a
man is hungry enough to relish dry bread, then, and then only, does he
really require nourishment.
Hunger is always experienced when nutriment is needed, and will be felt
a dozen times a day if the food eaten at each of a dozen meals has
supplied only sufficient nutriment to produce the force expended between
each meal. If the meal is large and supplies sufficient nutriment to
produce the force expended in a whole day, then the one meal is all that
is required. Never eat to be sociable, or conventional, or sensual; eat
when hungry.
Professor Pavlov says: 'Appetite is juice'; that is to say, the
physiological condition existing when the body has run short of
food-fuel, produces a psychological effect, the mind thinking of food,
thereby causing through reaction a profuse secretion of saliva, and we
say 'the mouth waters.' It is true the appetite is amenable to
suggestion. Thus, though feeling hunger, the smell of, or even thought
of, decayed food may completely take away appetite and all inclination
to eat. This phenomenon is a provision of Nature to protect us from
eating impure food. The appetite having thus been taken away will soon
return again when the cause of its loss has been removed. Therefore the
appetite should be an infallible guide when to eat.
There is one further point to be noted. Food should not be eaten when
under the influence of strong emotion. It is true that under such
conditions there probably would be no appetite, but when we are so
accustomed to consulting the clock that there is danger of cozening
ourselves into the belief that we have an appetite when we have not, and
so force ourselves to eat when it may be unwise to do so. Strong
emotions, as anger, fear, worry, grief, judging by analogy, doubtless
inhibit digestive activity. W. B. Cannon, M.D., speaking of experiments
on cats, says: 'The stomach movements are inhibited whenever the cat
shows signs of anxiety, rage, or distress.' To thoroughly enjoy one's
food, it is necessary to have hunger for it, and if we only eat when we
feel hungry, there is little likelihood of ever suffering from
dyspepsia.
In passing, it is appropriate to point out that as when food is better
enjoyed it is better digested, therefore art, environment, mental
disposition, indirectly affect the digestive processes. We should,
therefore, remembering that simplicity, not complexity, is the essence
of beauty, ornament our food and table, and be as cheerful, sociable,
and even as merry as possible.
IV
HOW TO EAT
The importance of thorough mastication and insalivation cannot be
overestimated. The mouth is a part of the digestive apparatus, and in it
food is not only broken down, but is chemically changed by the action of
the saliva. If buccal (mouth) digestion be neglected, the consequence is
that the food passes into the stomach in a condition that renders it
difficult for that organ to digest it and any of a great number of
disturbances may result.
Mastication means a thorough breaking up of the food into the smallest
particles, and insalivation means the mixing of the small particles with
the saliva. The mechanical work is done with the jaws and tongue, and
the chemical work is performed by the saliva. When the mechanical work
is done thoroughly the chemical work is also thorough, and the test for
thoroughness is loss of taste. Masticate the food until all taste has
disappeared, and then it will be found that the swallowing reflex
unconsciously absorbs the food, conscious swallowing, or at least, an
effort to swallow, not being called for.
It may take some while to get into the habit of thorough mastication
after having been accustomed to bolting food, but with a conscious
effort at the first, the habit is formed, and then the effort is no
longer a laborious exercise, but becomes perfectly natural and is
performed unconsciously.
This ought to be common knowledge. That such a subject is not considered
a necessary part of education is indeed lamentable, for the crass
ignorance that everywhere abounds upon the subject of nutrition and diet
is largely the cause of the frightful disease and debility so widespread
throughout the land, and, as a secondary evil of an enormous waste of
labour in the production and distribution of unneeded food. Were
everyone to live according to Nature, hygienically and modestly, health,
and all the happiness that comes with it, would become a national asset,
and as a result of the decreased consumption of food, more time would be
available for education, and the pursuit of all those arts which make
for the enlightenment and progress of humanity.
To become a convert to this new order, adopting non-animal food and
hygienic living, is not synonymous with monastical asceticism, as some
imagine. Meat eaters when first confronted with vegetarianism often
imagine their dietary is going to be restricted to a monotonous round of
carrots, turnips, cabbages, and the like; and if their ignorance
prevents them from arguing that it is impossible to maintain health and
strength on such foods, then it is very often objected that carrots and
cabbages are not liked, or would not be cared for _all_ the time. The
best way to answer this objection is to cite a few plain facts. From a
catalogue of a firm supplying vegetarian specialties, (and there are now
quite a number of such firms), most of the following information is
derived:
Of nuts there are twelve varieties, sold either shelled, ground, or in
shell. Many of these nuts are also mechanically prepared, and in some
cases combined, and made into butters, nut-meats, lard, suet, oil, etc.
The varieties of nut-butters are many, and the various combinations of
nuts and vegetables making potted savouries, add to a long list of
highly nutritious and palatable nut-foods. There are the pulses dried
and entire, or ground into flour, such as pea-, bean-, and lentil-flour.
There are the cereals, barley, corn, oats, rice, rye, wheat, etc., from
which the number of preparations made such as breakfast foods, bread,
biscuits, cakes, pastries, etc., is legion. (One firm advertises
twenty-three varieties of prepared breakfast foods made from cereals.)
Then there are the fruits, fresh, canned, and preserved, about
twenty-five varieties; green vegetables, fresh and canned, about
twenty-one varieties; and roots, about eleven varieties.
The difficulty is not that there is insufficient variety, but that the
variety is so large that there is danger of being tempted beyond the
limits dictated by the needs of the body. When, having had sufficient
to eat, there yet remain many highly palatable dishes untasted, one is
sometimes apt to gratify sense at the expense of health and
good-breeding, to say nothing of economy. Simplicity and purity in food
are essential to physical health as simplicity and purity in art are
essential to moral and intellectual progress. 'I may say,' says Dr.
Haig, 'that simple food of not more than two or three kinds at one meal
is another secret of health; and if this seems harsh to those whose day
is at present divided between anticipating their food and eating, I must
ask them to consider whether such a life is not the acme of selfish
shortsightedness. In case they should ever be at a loss what to do with
the time and money thus saved from feasting, I would point on the one
hand to the mass of unrelieved ignorance, sorrow, and suffering, and on
the other to the doors of literature and art, which stand open to those
fortunate enough to have time to enter them; and from none of these need
any turn aside for want of new Kingdoms to conquer.'
This question of feeding may, by superficial thinkers, be looked upon as
unimportant; yet it should not be forgotten that diet has much more to
do with health than is commonly realized, and health is intimately
connected with mental attitude, and oftentimes is at the foundation of
religious and moral development. 'Hypochondriacal crotchets' are often
the product of dyspepsia, and valetudinarianism and pessimism are not
unrarely found together. 'Alas,' says Carlyle, 'what is the loftiest
flight of genius, the finest frenzy that ever for moments united Heaven
with Earth, to the perennial never-failing joys of a digestive apparatus
thoroughly eupeptic?'
Our first duty is to learn to keep our body healthy. Naturally, we
sooner expect to see a noble character possess a beautiful form than one
disfigured by abuse and polluted by disease. We do not say that every
sick man is a villain, but we do say that men and women of high
character regard the body as an instrument for some high purpose, and
believe that it should be cared for and nourished according to its
natural requirements. In vegetarianism, _scientifically practised_, is a
cure, and better, a preventative, for many physical, mental, and moral
obliquities that trouble mankind, and if only a knowledge of this fact
were to grow and distil itself into the public mind and conscience,
there would be halcyon days in store for future generations, and much
that now envelops man in darkness and in sorrow, would be regarded as a
nightmare of the past.
FOOD TABLE
The following table exhibits the percentage chemical composition of the
principal vegetable food materials; also of dairy produce and common
flesh-foods for comparison.
FOOD MATERIAL Protein Fat Carbo- Salts Water Fuel
hydrates Value cals.
Vegetable Foods p. ct. p. ct. p. ct. p. ct. p. ct. p. lb.
Wheat Flour (entire) 18.8 1.9 71.9 1.0 11.4 1,675
Oatmeal 16.1 7.2 67.5 1.9 7.3 1,860
Rice 8.0 .3 79.0 .4 12.3 1,630
Barley 8.5 1.1 77.8 1.1 11.5 1,650
Corn Meal 9.2 1.9 75.4 1.0 12.5 1,655
Rye 0.8 .9 78.7 .7 12.9 1,630
Lentils (dried) 25.7 1.0 59.2 5.7 8.4 1,620
Beans (dried) 22.5 1.8 59.6 3.5 12.6 1,605
Peas (dried) 24.6 1.0 62.0 2.9 9.5 1,655
Nuts, various (_aver._) 16.0 52.0 20.0 2.0 10.0 2,640
Dates 2.1 2.8 78.4 1.3 15.4 1,615
Figs 4.3 .3 74.2 2.4 18.8 1,475
Potatoes 2.2 .1 18.4 1.0 78.3 385
Apples .4 .5 14.2 .3 84.6 290
Bananas 1.3 .6 22.0 .8 75.3 460
Dairy Foods
Milk, whole (not skim) 3.3 4.0 5.0 .7 87.0 325
Cheese, various (_aver._) 24.5 28.4 2.1 4.0 41.0 1,779
Hens' Eggs (_boiled_) 14.0 12.0 0.0 .8 73.2 765
Flesh Foods
Beef 18.6 19.1 0.0 1.0 61.3 1,155
Mutton (_medium fat_) 18.2 18.0 0.0 1.0 62.8 1,105
Ham (_fresh_) 15.6 33.4 0.0 .9 50.1 1,700
Fowl 19.0 16.3 0.0 1.0 63.7 1,045
White Fish (_as purchased_) 22.1 6.5 0.0 1.6 69.8 700
[The amount of heat that will raise one kilogram of water 1 deg. C. is
termed a _calorie_. Fuel value, or food units, means the number of
calories of heat equivalent to the energy it is assumed the body obtains
from food when the nutrients thereof are completely digested.]
ONE HUNDRED RECIPES
RECIPES
The following recipes are given as they appear in the English edition of
this book and were prepared for English readers. While some of these
will be difficult for American readers to follow, we give them as in the
original edition, and many of the unusual ingredients called for can be
obtained from the large grocers and dealers, and if not in stock will be
obtained to order. 'Nutter' is a name given a nut butter used for
cooking. It is, so far as we know, the only collection of strictly
vegetarian recipes published.
Readers interested in the foreign products referred to, should write to
Pitman's Health Food Company, Aston Brook St., Birmingham, England, and
to Mapleton's Nut Food Company, Ltd., Garston, Liverpool, England, for
price list and literature.
THE PUBLISHERS.
SOUPS
=1.--Vegetable Soup=
1 large cupful red lentils, 1 turnip, 2 medium onions, 3 potatoes, 1
carrot, 1 leek, 1 small head celery, parsley, 1 lb. tomatoes, 3-1/2
quarts water.
Wash and cut up vegetables, but do not peel. Boil until tender, then
strain through coarse sieve and serve. This soup will keep for several
days and can be reheated when required.
=2.--Semolina Soup=
4 oz. semolina, 2 chopped onions, 1 tablespoonful gravy essence,[6] 2
quarts water or vegetable stock.[7]
=3.--Spinach Soup No. 1=
1 lb. Spinach, 1 tablespoonful gravy essence, 1 quart water.
Cook spinach in its own juices (preferably in double boiler). Strain
from it, through a hair sieve or colander, all the liquid. Add essence
and serve.
=4.--Spinach Soup No. 2=
1 lb. spinach, 1 lb. can tomatoes, 1 tablespoonful nut-milk
(Mapleton's), 1-1/2 pints water.
Dissolve nut-milk in little water, cook all ingredients together in
double-boiler for 1-1/2 hours, strain and serve.
=5.--Pea Soup=
4 ozs. pea-flour, 2 potatoes, 1 large onion, 1 tablespoonful gravy
essence, 2 quarts water.
Cook potatoes, (not peeled), and onion until soft. Skin and mash
potatoes and chop onion. Mix pea-flour into paste with little water.
Boil all ingredients together for 20 minutes, then serve.
=Lentil and Haricot Soups=
These are prepared in the same way as Recipe No. 5 substituting lentil,
or haricot flour for pea-flour.
=6.--Tomato-Pea Soup=
4 ozs. pea-flour, 1 lb. tin tomatoes, 1 chopped leek, 1 quart water.
Mix pea-flour into paste with little water. Boil ingredients together 30
minutes, then serve.
=Tomato-Lentil and Tomato-Bean Soups=
These are prepared in the same way as Recipe No. 6, substituting
lentil-, or bean-flour for pea-flour.
=7.--Rice-Vermicelli Soup=
2 ozs. rice-vermicelli, 1 tablespoonful nut-milk, 1 dessertspoonful
gravy essence, 1 quart water.
Boil vermicelli in water until soft. Dissolve nut-milk in little water.
Boil all ingredients together 5 minutes, then serve.
=8.--Pea-Vermicelli Soup=
2 ozs. pea-vermicelli, 1 tablespoonful nut-milk, 1 tablespoonful tomato
puree, 1 quart water.
Boil vermicelli in water until soft, dissolve nut-milk in little water.
Boil all ingredients together 5 minutes, then serve.
=9.--Pot-barley Soup No. 1=
4 ozs. pot-barley, 1 onion, 1 tablespoonful gravy essence, 2 quarts
water, corn flour to thicken.
Cook barley until quite soft; chop onion finely; mix a little corn flour
into paste with cold water. Stir into the boiling soup. Boil all
ingredients together for 20 minutes, then serve.
=Wheat and Rice Soups=
These are prepared in the same way as Recipe No. 9, substituting wheat
or rice grains for barley.
=10.--Pot-barley Soup No. 2=
4 ozs. pot-barley, 1 dessertspoonful nut-milk, 1 chopped onion, 1
dessertspoonful tomato puree, 1 quart water.
Cook barley until soft; dissolve nut-milk in little water; boil all
ingredients together for 20 minutes, then serve.
=11.--Corn Soup=
1 lb. tin sugar-corn, 1/2 lb. tin tomatoes, 2 chopped onions, 2 ozs.
corn flour, 1 quart water.
Boil onion until soft; mix corn flour into paste with cold water. Place
sugar-corn, tomatoes, onions, and water into stew pan; heat and add corn
flour. Boil ingredients together 10 minutes, and serve.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 6: There are several brands of wholly vegetable gravy essence
now on the market. The best known are 'Vegeton,' 'Marmite,' 'Carnos,'
and Pitman's 'Vigar Gravy Essence.']
[Footnote 7: Vegetable stock is the water that vegetables have been
boiled in; this water contains a certain quantity of valuable vegetable
salts, and should never be thrown away.]
SAVORY DISHES
=12.--Nut Rissoles=
3 ozs. mixed grated nuts, 3 ozs. breadcrumbs, 1 oz. nut butter, 1
chopped onion, 1 large cupful canned tomatoes.
Mix ingredients together; mould into rissoles, dust with flour and fry
in 'Nutter.' Serve with gravy.
=13.--Lentil Cakes=
8 ozs. red lentils, 3 ozs. 'Grape Nuts,' 1 small onion, 1 teaspoonful
gravy essence, breadcrumbs.
Cook lentils until soft in smallest quantity of water; chop onion
finely; mix all ingredients, using sufficient breadcrumbs to make into
stiff paste; form into cakes and fry in 'Nutter.' Serve with gravy.
=14.--Marrow Roast=
1 vegetable marrow, 3 ozs. grated nuts, 1 onion, 1 oz. 'Nutter,' 1 cup
breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoonfuls tomato puree.
Cook marrow, taking care not to allow it to break; when cold, peel, cut
off one end and remove seeds with spoon. Prepare stuffing:--chop onion
finely; melt nut fat and mix ingredients together. Then stuff marrow and
tie on decapitated end with tape; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake 30
minutes. Serve with gravy.
=15.--Stewed Celery=
1 head celery, 4 slices whole-meal bread, nut butter.
Slice celery into suitable lengths, which steam until soft. Toast and
butter bread, place celery on toast and cover with pea, bean, or lentil
sauce, (see Recipe No. 39).
=16.--Barley Entree=
4 ozs. pot-barley, 1 lb. tin tomatoes, 1 chopped onion, 2 tablespoonfuls
olive oil.
Cook barley until quite soft in smallest quantity of water (in double
boiler). Then add tomatoes and oil, and cook for 10 minutes. To make
drier, cook barley in tomato juice adding only 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of
water.
=Rice, Wheat, Macaroni, Lentil, Bean, Split-pea Entrees=
These are prepared in the same way as Recipe No. 16, substituting one of
these cereals or legumes for barley.
=17.--Savory Pie=
Paste (Recipe No. 59), marrow stuffing (Recipe No. 14).
Line sandwich tin with paste; fill interior with stuffing; cover with
paste or cooked sliced potatoes; bake in sharp oven.
=18.--Baked Bananas=
Prepare the desired number by washing and cutting off stalk, but do not
peel. Bake in oven 20 minutes, then serve.
=19.--Barley Stew=
4 ozs. pot-barley, 2 onions, parsley.
Chop onions and parsley finely; cook ingredients together in very small
quantity of water in double boiler until quite soft. Serve with hot
beetroot, or fried tomatoes or potatoes.
=Corn, Rice, Frumenty, Pea-Vermicelli Stews=
These are prepared in the same way as Recipe No. 19, substituting one of
the above cereals or pulses for barley.
=20.--Mexican Stew=
1 cupful brown beans, 2 onions, 2 potatoes, 4 tomatoes, 1 oz. sugar, 1
cupful red grape-juice, rind of 1 lemon, water.
Soak beans overnight; chop vegetables in chunks; boil all ingredients
together 1 hour.
=21.--Vegetable Pie=
5 ozs. tapioca, 4 potatoes, 3 small onions, paste, (see Recipe No. 59),
tomato puree to flavor.
Soak tapioca. Partly cook potatoes and onions, which then slice. Place
potatoes, onions, and tapioca in layers in pie-dish; mix puree with a
little hot water, which pour into dish; cover with paste and bake.
=22.--Rice Rissoles=
6 ozs. unpolished rice, 1 chopped onion, 1 dessertspoonful tomato puree,
breadcrumbs.
Boil rice and onion until soft; add puree and sufficient breadcrumbs to
make stiff; mould into rissoles; fry in 'Nutter,' and serve with parsley
sauce, (Recipe No. 38).
=23.--Scotch Stew=
3 ozs. pot-barley, 2 ozs. rolled oats, 1 carrot, 1 turnip, 2 potatoes, 1
onion, 4 tomatoes, water.
Wash, peel, and chop vegetables in chunks. Stew all ingredients together
for 2 hours. Dress with squares of toasted bread.
=24.--Plain Roasted Rice=
Steam some unpolished rice until soft; then distribute thinly on flat
tin and brown in hot oven.
=25.--Nut Roast No. 1=
1 lb. pine kernels (flaked), 4 tablespoonfuls pure olive oil, 2
breakfastcupfuls breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. tomatoes (peeled and mashed).
Mix ingredients together, place in pie-dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs,
and bake until well browned.
=26.--Nut Roast No. 2=
1 lb. pine kernels (flaked), 1 cooked onion (chopped), 1/2 cupful
chopped parsley, 8 ozs. cooked potatoes (mashed).
Mix ingredients together, place in pie-dish and cover with layer of
boiled rice. Cook until well browned.
=27.--Maize Roast=
8 ozs. corn meal, 1 large Spanish onion (chopped), 2 tablespoonfuls
nut-milk, 1 dessertspoonful gravy essence.
Cook onion; dissolve nut-milk thoroughly in about 1/2 pint water.
Boil onion, nut-milk, and essence together two minutes, then mix all
ingredients together, adding sufficient water to make into very soft
batter; bake 40 minutes.
=28.--Plain Savory Rice=
4 ozs. unpolished rice, 1 lb. tin tomatoes.
Boil together until rice is cooked. If double boiler be used no water
need be added, and thus the rice will be dry and not pultaceous.
=29.--Potato Balls=
4 medium sized potatoes, 1 large onion (chopped), 1 dessertspoonful pure
olive oil, breadcrumbs.
Cook onion and potatoes, then mash. Mix ingredients, using a few
breadcrumbs and making it into a very soft paste. Roll into balls and
fry in 'Nutter,' or nut butter.
=30.--Bean Balls=
4 ozs. brown haricot flour, 1 onion (chopped), 1 dessertspoonful pure
olive oil, 1 tablespoonful tomato puree, breadcrumbs.
Cook onion; mix flour into paste with puree and oil; add onion and few
breadcrumbs making into soft paste. Fry in 'Nutter.'
=31.--Lentil and Pea Balls=
These are made in the same way as Recipe No. 30, substituting lentil-or
pea-flour for bean-flour.
=31.--Lentil Patties=
4 ozs. lentils, 1 small onion (chopped), 1 oz. 'Nutter,' or nut butter,
1 teaspoonful gravy essence, paste (see Recipe No. 59).
Cook ingredients for filling all together until lentils are quite soft.
Line patty pans with paste; fill, cover with paste and bake in sharp
oven.
=Barley, Bean, Corn, Rice, and Wheat Patties=
These are prepared in the same way as in Recipe No. 31, substituting
one of the above cereals or beans for lentils.
=32.--Lentil Paste=
8 ozs. red lentils, 1 onion (chopped), 4 tablespoonfuls pure olive oil,
breadcrumbs.
Boil lentils and onions until quite soft; add oil and sufficient
breadcrumbs to make into paste; place in jars; when cool cover with
melted nut butter; serve when set.
=33.--Bean Paste=
8 ozs. small brown haricots, 2 tablespoonfuls tomato puree, 1
teaspoonful 'Vegeton,' 2 ozs. 'Nutter' or nut butter, 1 cup breadcrumbs.
Soak beans over night; flake in Dana Food Flaker; place back in fresh
water and add other ingredients; cook one hour; add breadcrumbs, making
into paste; place in jars, when cool cover with nut butter; serve when
set.
=34.--Spinach on Toast=