The Dietetic Uses of Fat.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 286, 1 August 1888, Page 3

The Dietetic Uses of Fat.

There prevailed, and to an extent si ill prevails, a popular supersbioion that fat food, of whatever sorb, is injurious, and should be avoided. This (writes a physician) is great nonsense as far as theoiy goes, and incalculably mischievous when re" duced to practice. In the human body the blood contains \ percent, of fat, the muscles more than 3 per cent., the brain 8 per cent., and the nerves 22 per cent. Unless this proportion is maintained by proper nourishment, these organs of the body sufier, each in its degree, and disease is the result. Muds nervous trouble may be traced to the distaste for fat foods, and the consequent starvation of the nervous system ; and a systematic consumption of fab food will often be ot amazing* use to nervous invalids. The popular objection to fat cornea largely from its being taken in forms either unpalatable or indigestible. To be palatable, fab must be taken with such admixtures as will disguise its greasy flavour. Butter may be spread thickly on bread, for ins ance ; or bacon fat, which is most excellently wholesome and nourishing, may ( have bread soaked in it as in a gravy. Cream, when obtainable, is an excellent form of fat. Children to whom fat meat is repugnant will redlly object to butter-scotch, and this given net undiscriminately, between meals, but as a toothsome addition to the nursery dessert, \h a commendable form for the administration of lat. Dr. Milner Fothergill goes so far as to say that he knows of at least one child whose life has been saved by the nourishment contained in butterscotch. The old custom of bribing: children not to eat butter wat a barbarous way of persuading them to buy ill-health. When fat is mclitootible, it le usually because it is not sufficiently subdivided to be quickly assimilated. A lump of butier will cause nausea, while the same quantity spread on bread will be readily assimilated. Persons inclined either to consumption or to nervous diseases are especially in need of fat foods, and should take them as a matter of conscience, if not as a matter of taste. Cod liver oil is more useful as a preventive than as a cure, and should be lesorted to befoi c lung disease has time to develop. It is the most easily digestible ot fats, and if taken fiom one to two hours after eating, when the food is passing out of the stomach, will rarely Icause unpleasant eructations. Nerve food is vastly preferable to nerve stimulants, and, systematically pursued., the eating of fats would help to banish those destroyers of good health and good temper — the teapot and the whisky bottle. Nervous strain can be endured with less harm to the organisation on a breakfast of bread, fat bacon, oatmeal and cream, followed after an hour or so by a t-iblespoonful of cod-liver oil, than on coflee and wine ad libitum. Children to whom iats are systematically given, and stimulants systemat cally denied, will, all things being equal, do in after-life the maximum ot work, with the minimum of wear and tear. Mrs Parkinson, Victoriastreet, Auckland, is well-known as an extensive manufacturer of butter-scotch in this city.