SUMMER MEALS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 857, 28 December 1929, Page 9

SUMMER MEALS

MEAT AND SUGAR ARE HEATERS HOW TO KEEP COOL Cut down your meat and sugar if you wish to keep cool these sweltering days. “Not interested,” says Mr. Aucklander, who moans the present condition of the weather. But nevertheless, although it may be an optimistic prophecy, he is bound to become interested shortly. But to cut down meat and sugar is not so easy to do as to say, for all fruit—the citizen’s stand-by in hot weather —contains sugar, and sugar, and though a first-rate supplier of energy, supplies heat while doing so. One orange is rated as 70 heat-units as against one pat of butter’s 80, and a banana goes 100, which is 25 higher than an average slice of cake. It being almost impossible to dodge sugar, the best plan is to eat sparingly of the high percentaged foods containing it; in fact, to eat less altogether; for, though the human furnace needs fuel, there is no strain to keep up surface heat as in winter. DON’T GULP WATER To assuage thirst nothing is so efficient as plain, cool water, and it is far better sipped or taken in small amounts at a time than in long glassfuls gulped rapidly down. Iced fountain drinks and ice-cream are refreshing, but because of their high sugar content they actually add heat; and ice-cream is notoriously a thirst-provoker. One tablespoonful of ice-cream adds 135 heat-units to the partaker’s body. A glass of milk goes 160; in fact, milk is very heating, and is best taken in summer “half-and-half,” with soda or plain water. Salads are cool_ foods, but if much oil is taken with them they become heating. Otherwise they are ideal; it takes several lettuces to equal the heating power in one egg. For a cool summer diet, plan your meals like this: Start the day with a pint of cold water, drunk slowly or sipped. Breakfast. —Toast, with very small quantity butter or marmalade; tea with light helping of sugar and milk. Lunch.—Cold fish, salmon mayonnaise (minus dressing) or cold meat (lean beef or mutton), small helping only; salad (vinegar type); fresh fruit.

Dinner.—Cold fish, small mutton cutlet or lamb chop; salad; fruit. If wine is taken, it should be a light dry white wine, diluted with two-thirds soda-water. If tea, minimum of sugar; black coffee, ditto.