32 THECUBAREVIEW 



although it is more expensive than starch in the form of such cereal foods as wheat flour, corn 

 meal, and oatmeal, which contain 65 to 80 per cent of carbohydrates and, in addition, 10 to 14 

 per cent of protein, and cost from 2.5 to 4 cents per pound. Judging from the results of many 

 •dietary studies, the average cost of sugar in the daily ration is about 2 cents, and, compared 

 Tvdth some other common foods, sugar is not an expensive item in the dietary. 



GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 



One may say in general that the wholesomeness of sweetened foods and their vitilization 

 by the system is largely a question of quantity and concentration. For instance, a simple 

 pudding flavored with sugar rather than heavily sweetened is considered easy of digestion, 

 but when more sugar is used, with the addition of eggs and fat, we have as the result highly 

 •concentrated forms of food, which can be eaten with advantage only in moderate quantities 

 and which are entirely unsuited to children and invalids. 



It is true that the harvester, lumberman, and others who do hard work in the open air 

 consume great amounts of food containing considerable quantities of sugar, such as pie and 

 doughnuts, and apparently with impunitj'; but it is equally true that people living an indoor 

 life find that undue amounts of pie, cake, and pudding, with highly sweetened preserved fruit, 

 and sugar in large amounts on cooked cereals, almost always bring indigestion sooner or later. 



From a gastronomic point of view it would seem also that in the American cuisine sugar 

 is used with too many kinds of food, with, a consequent loss of variety and piquancy of flavor 

 in the different dishes. The nutty flavor of grains and the natural taste of mild fruits are very 

 often concealed by the addition of large quantities of sugar. 



In the diet of the undernourished, larger amounts of sugar would doubtless help to supply 

 adequate nutrition. This point is often urged by European hygienists. In the food of the 

 well-to-do it is often the case, however, that starch is not diminished in proportion as sugar is 

 added. That sugar, on account of its agreeable flavor, furnishes a temptation to take more 

 ■carbohydrate food than the system needs cannot be denied. The vigor of digestion and muscu- 

 lar activity in each particular case would seem to suggest the limit. A lump of sugar represents 

 about as much nutriment as an ounce of potato, but, while the potato will be eaten only because 

 liunger prompts, the sugar, because of its taste, may be taken when the appetite has been fully 

 satisfied. 



Sugar is a useful and valuable food. It must, however, be remembered that it is a con- 

 centrated food, and therefore should be eaten in moderate quantities. Further, like other 

 concentrated foods, sugar seems best fitted for assimilation by the body when supplied with 

 ■other materials which dilute it or give it the necessary bulk. 



Persons of active habits and good digestion mil add sugar to their food almost at pleasure 

 without inconvenience, while those of sedentary life, of delicate digestion, or with a tendency 

 to corpulency would do better to use sugar very moderately. It is generally assumed that 4 or 5 

 ■ounces of sugar per day is as much as it is well for the average adult to eat under ordinary 

 •conditions. 



(A list giving the titles of all Farmers' Bulletins available for distribution will be sent free 

 upon application to a Member of Congress or the Secretary of Agriculture.) 



SUGAR MPORTS BY NEUTRALS ^^Z^^' ^J"'] theaverage annual net importation, 



after deducting all exports, was 74,484 tons. 



Sugar imports into Holland and the Scan- The paper states that the figures relating 



•dinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and to imports since the outbreak of the war have 



Sweden were 55,373 tons during 1917, as been compiled from records in the possession 



■compared with 97,471 tons during 1916, ac- of the department relating to the cargoes of 



cording to a White Paper issued by the British all vessels reaching the countries in question, 



War Trade Statistical Department. The except from Germany. The statistics of 



:same authority states that during the three average imports in pre-war years were cal- 



years 1911-1913 the average annual sugar culated from the official trade returns issued 



imports of these four countries were 185,748 by the importing countries. 



