Fruits, Their Food Value and Use in Disease. 209 



FRUITS, THEIR FOOD VALUE AND USE IN 



DISEASE. 



KY FREDEEICK M. EOSSITEE^ M. D., AUTHOE OF "THE STOEY OF A LIVIXG TEMPLE." 



Anatomically man is a frugivorous animal, and when foods are botanicallj' 

 considered it is noted that fruits exceed in variety and value all other foods. 

 However, by habit man has become omnivorous, and often largely partakes of 

 food substances that poorly serve the requirements of the vital economy. 



Strictly speaking, cereals and nuts are fruits as well as apples and peaches, 

 also melons and tomatoes, but for the present purposes only those fruits pop- 

 ularly accepted as such will be considered. 



As to the variety of fruits, Nature has supplied man most generously, there 

 I)eing more than 1,100 varieties of apples alone. As to delicacy of flavor and 

 aroma, no other class of foods can compare with fruits. IMoreover, no food 

 comes to the table so free from disease and impurities. Every ripe apple, plum. 

 peach, cherry and grape is canned and hermetically sealed by Nature. It con- 

 tains food and water of the purest quality, and a richness of flavor that appeals 

 to the most capricious taste. 



The consumption of fruit has very greatly increased during the past few 

 years owing largely to the increased transportation facilities This makes it 

 possible to have many varieties of fresh fruits the year round. The improved 

 methods of canning fruits enable every household to lay in a supply of fruit for 

 the winter and spring, thus spanning the intervals between the fruit seasons. 



Beginning with the strawberry in May and .Tune, there is a continuous pro- 

 cession of fruits through .July, August and September, ending with the cran- 

 berry at Christmas. Then through the winter apples are in season and are most 

 appreciated. Oranges, lemons and bananas are perennial. 



The abundant supply of fresh fruits during the hot months of summer, to 

 my mind, is a strong indication that fruits should more largely enter into our daily 

 diet than they do. The food value of fruit not being appreciated by the laity and too 

 little emphasized by the profession, fruits come in principally as dessert, and for this 

 reason, though generally not understood, fruits are held responsible for many intesti- 

 nal disorders during the hot months. Pitchforking all sorts of food indiscriminately 

 into the stomach and then topping off with one or more varieties of fruit 

 buried in sugar and possibly covered with cream is a strong temptation to dis- 

 ease, but the fruit should not receive the blame if trouble results, for in this 

 case it is not responsible. 



FRUITS AEE NATURAL FOODS. 



Fruits are ntaural foods, and after several years of careful observation I 

 am convinced that when they are properly selected, properly eaten and the right 

 combinations are made, they are productive only of good, and supply indispensa- 

 ble elements toward enabling the body to maintain the highest degree of resist- 

 ance to the inroads of disease. 



A study of the chemistry of fruits throws much light upon their value as 

 a food, and in furnishing essential salts to the vital economy, also upon the 

 combinations that should be made when eating fruit. 



HOR. 14 



