1913], Chemistry of Diet 177 



of the body. Converselj^, he has shown that when a change is 

 made from the rich carbo-hydrate diet and a fat diet is sub- 

 stituted, there is a considerable loss of water to the body. It is 

 obvious, therefore, that if a change is made from a normal diet 

 to one containing an excessive proportion of carbo-hydrates, 

 even though the total nutrients in the food may be insufficient 

 for the maintenance of the body, the excess carbo-hydrates may 

 cause the retention of a sufficient amount of water to more than 

 make up for the loss in the body material resulting from the 

 decrease in the total body food supply. 



A typical experiment follows : Diet for three days 

 largely carbo-hydrate, suddenly changed to one of equi- 

 valent energy, which, however, was derived in large 

 part from fat. The changes in body weight during 

 the series was remarkable and interesting. During the 

 three days carbo-hydrate period, there was a total gain of 61 

 grams (2 ounces). On the fourth day the diet was so changed 

 that the greater part of the energy came from the fat rather 

 than from the carbo-hydrates. Although the total amount of 

 food and drink ingested during the fat period was somewhat 

 greater, there was a very material loss to the body, averaging 

 914 grams (30 ounces) per day. The gain and loss above had 

 to do with water only. Benedict says this rapid loss of water 

 under specific diet should be interesting to continue with vari- 

 ous inorganic salts and is significant in such pathological condi- 

 tions as dropsy. What factors in the diet determine the gain 

 of water are of great importance. 



Generally speaking, it matters not what the source of the 

 carbo-hydrate may be. Of course, we must recognize the fact 

 that the new starches, surrounded by a mass of indigestible 

 tissue, is the most of all likely to escape the digestive 

 juices, and, therefore, the one which is liable to pass 

 through the body unused to the greatest extent; that 

 is, considering that the raw starch must be disintegrated 

 and prepared for digestion by the grinding action of the teeth 

 during an era of rush and bolting of food, it is very probable 

 that much of it will escape grinding and imbedded in the sur- 



