DIET AND NUTRITION 



Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and Denmark. These 

 areas are named in the order of decreasing protein intake. 



A standard argument against a luxus consumption of 

 protein is based on the excessive putrefaction of undigested 

 protein residues in the colon with the consequent absorp- 

 tion of a series of products of bacterial origin which have 

 no place in physiological processes and which are regarded 

 by some as physiological abominations. The prevailing 

 view among experimenters appears to be that a relatively 

 low protein dietary furnishing proteins of high biological 

 value is more likely to promote well-being than is the 

 dietary containing an excess of protein. 



The Calcium Content of Foods. All seed products, such as 

 cereal grains, peas, beans, all tubers and fleshy roots, all 

 meats and eggs, are too poor in calcium to supply the 

 physiological needs of growing young. The only foods 

 rich in calcium are the leaves of plants and the milk of 

 animals. All seed products, meats, and eggs contain an 

 excess of phosphorus in proportion to calcium. This ratio, 

 as already stated, is unfavorable to the calcification of the 

 bones. In order to provide a diet which is appropriately 

 constituted in respect to calcium and phosphorus, there- 

 fore, the diet should contain an appropriate amount of 

 either a leaf vegetable or of milk. 



Meats are deficient in all vitamins except G, the anti- 

 pellagra principle. Milk contains all the vitamins, but is 

 somewhat deficient in B. Egg yolks contain the full quota 

 of vitamins. All foods are deficient in vitamin D; but many 

 of them contain traces of the mother substance — ergosterol 

 — which is converted into the vitamin, provided one is 

 exposed sufficiently to sunlight of good quality, that is, 

 sunlight containing some ultra-violet rays. 



During the last 100 years there has been a steady increase 

 in the consumption of sugar. This is solely an energy food, 

 since it contains no protein, no mineral elements, and no 



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