34 



each person must choose for himself ; but with the great majority of people 

 who use breakfast foods regularly, it is doubtful if the newer "malted" or 

 "predigested" foods are more tasty or palatable than the older-fashioned 

 oat and wheat porridge. 



The cost of the numerous kinds of breakfast foods varies widely. 

 The price per package may not be very different, but there is a wide 

 difference in the actual weight of material in the package of the different 

 brands of these foods, and this, together with the differences in compo- 

 sition and digestibility that exist, is sufficient to render the actual nourish- 

 ment obtained from some foods very much more expensive than others. 

 In many cases the market price has very little connection with the nutritive 

 value, or even with the cost of the materials and preparation. The un- 

 cooked oat, wheat, and corn meals, especially those bought in bulk, are 

 the cheapest per pound, both in weight of nutrients purchased and in the 

 amount absorbed by the system. It is possible that the cost of cooking 

 may be sufficient to materially offset this advantage ; and that the con- 

 venience of the ready-to-serve foods may compensate for the higher cost. 

 These considerations must, of course, vary with circumstances, and each 

 person must decide them for himself. 



In general, it may be stated that the various forms of breakfast foods 

 on the market are all wholesome and nutritious foods. At present prices 

 the uncooked oat, wheat, and corn meals are among our most economical 

 sources of nutrients and energy, and, taking everything into' consideration, 

 it is probable that oatmeal ranks highest among these. It may not 

 "agree" with everyone, but for those who can use it, there is no break- 

 fast food which combines high protein content and energy producing 

 qualities so well as oatmeal. The reason that prepared breakfast foods 

 are more expensive is evidently not because they contain any more nourish- 

 ment, but because of the way they are prepared, the manner they are put 

 upon the market, and the cost of advertising. A curious name or appear- 

 ance or a mysterious process of preparation, does not give them the 

 extraordinary food value sometimes claimed. They may have a place in 

 a hurry-up breakfast, but where economy is considered, there is nothing 

 in the composition, digestibility, or palatability of these high-priced "pre- 

 digested" foods to justify the extravagant price asked for some of them. 



Conclusions. 



i. The various foods agree in composition with the grains from 

 which they are made. 



2. The oat products are richest in protein and fat and poorest in 

 carbohydrates ; the corn and rice foods are lowest in protein and highest 

 in carbohydrates ; while wheat and barley materials stand between the 

 oat and corn products in composition, but more nearly correspond with 

 the former. 



