FOOD VALUES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 285, 21 August 1918, Page 3

FOOD VALUES

MIXEKAL SALTS AND ACIDS,

Before passing away from our consideration of the various food values, there is still another class of tlieni to wmcn we must, as it were, apply our lnagniiy-ing-glass, writes "Penelope," in her 1 weekly notes in the Sydney "Hern (1. This'is the group thai we may place under the heading of "Mineral Salts and Acids." , A peculiar feature about this class ot foodstuffs is . that, generally speaking, man, woman, and growing child of ten years old or so each require almost identically the same amount in their daily diet, namely, loz. Mineral salts and acids are provided 111 common salt, as usually added to food, and in fruits and green vegetables. All of tho following foods aro rich in minerals, and their use is to cleanse tho blood and to regulate and assist to rebuild tho body:—Milk, yolk of eggs, oranges, lemons, apples, pears, bananas, melons, peas, beans, tomatoes, parsnips, potatoes, celery, beefs, and oilier root vegetables, spinach, onions, green corn, cauliflowers, cabbages, and all fruits and greens. At first glance at any of tlio abovo names one may suppose that wo aro all prone to consume very much more than our necessary ounce of salts and acids in our daily diet. Indeed, one might bo excused for jumping lo the conclusion that if one ale even a very large applo or potato one would take 1111 overdose of salts or acids.

This idea may, however, bo very quickly readjusted, when one recollects that many other elements besides those wo have named arc contained in each of the abovenamed articles of food. Everyone is aware, for instance, that both wafer and storch enter very considerably also into tlio composition of the potato, while sugar and starch and nitrogenous matter is contained in Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and beetroots.

We have seen that an average diet should contain i!l- oz. of proteid, 10 to Uojs. of sugar aad starch, 2Joz. of fat, and loz. of mineral salts and ..acids. It must, of course, be always borne in mind that sex, age, occupation, and climate very largely influence these proportions.

We are merely indicating the requirements of an average diet to demonstrate how very necessary it is to furnish to our families a varied menu. It may easily be seen that one is not justified in loosely indulging in whims, and in crossing out from the usual bill of fare vegetables, fruits, sugar, fats, etc., also mention has frequently been made of utilising such valuables as the water in which vegetables have been boiled and the things as meat bones, apple skins, etc.