A WELL BALANCED DIET

Chronicle (Levin), 11 June 1947, Page 8

A WELL BALANCED DIET

the Department of Health.)

(By

There is a tpndency to dub anyone who talks about diet a faddist. There are plenty who tallc hnd write about' it, too, and plague themselves and their t'fiejids with their own brand of diet They go into minute details and lay great emphasis on this or that, backing it up with reeipes and much dogmatism Because of all this spate of semiseientific knowledge, the Department oi Health has deemed it advisable tc record and publish a guide to a well balanced diet. This guide is built up from agreed-upon world nutrition knowledge, It begins with milk. • Each day grown-ups should have one pint or more. A pre-school child requires a pint and a-half. School children, adolescents, expeetant and nursiug mothers need a pint and three-quarters. Meat is definitely advised because of tts body-bnilding capacity, Beginning with one ounee in the second year, you work up to 4aOz for the sedentaiy worker, more fbr the heavv wbrker. Substitute liver Or kidney, and fish,. each once a week if possibie. Eggs are good for us, one a day being best, wrhen you can get thern. When unavailable use peas, beans and lentils, or take more milk, cheese, meat or fish, Cheese is excellent food. Begin early with the children at 18 months, and get the whole family into the habit of having cheese daiiy, grated, sljced or as cooked dislies. Potatoes ahvays once a day, sometimes twice. At least two other vegetables, one green always" and preferablv a yellow vegetablej if the latter be unobtainable, another green or root or other vegetable. Fruits are difficult nowadays — go for tomatoes, tree

tomatoea, grapefruit, oranges, apples, bananas and other fruits as available, Of butter, one onnee day is enough; of bread and cereals take whai your appetite requires, and after the second year of life, wholemeal bread is preferred. At least half your bread should /be wholemeal. * Give the children a teaspoon daily of cod liver oil, and 2 teaspoons. for expeetant and nursing mothers, and babies. You should use only iodised salt, but if you won't, take two teaspoons of seameal per day instead. ' •