METABOLISM, NUTRITION, AND DIET. 



will help to show in what ways it is possible to obtain the requisite 

 amount of nitrogen and carbon from the most common food-stuffs. 



In 100 parts of the following substances the proportion of N and G 

 is indicated : 



Beef (without bone 

 Roast Beef . 



Cow's Milk 

 Cheese , 

 Beans . . 

 Lentils . 



N. 



1.95 

 1 



.33 

 2 



3.74 

 6 



.64 



44 



28 



11 



30 



19.26 



29 



83 



of 



from 



From these data it is possible to form various diet-scales which shall 

 supply the needs of different conditions. Assuming that the average 

 amount of carbon and nitrogen required is about 300 grms. and 20 grms. 

 respectively, this may be obtained as follows : 



340 grms. j f' avoirdupois i lean unc<x)ked meat . 1Q ^ ^ o^ 

 906 " (32 oz. or 2 Ibs. avoirdupois) bread . . 9 " 252 " 



19 grms. 289 grms. 



But this diet is not a usual one ; a certain proportion of the carbon 

 is usually supplied as butter, or bacon, and so if 90 grms. (3.1 oz.) of 

 butter or bacon be used they would supply about 72 grms. of carbon, and 

 the carbohydrate would be diminished nearly one- third; but the nitro- 

 gen would also be diminished from 9 grms. to 6 grms. It would be 

 necessary to supply some extra nitrogenous principle, and this might 

 be done by the addition of eggs, milk, cheese, beans, or of any of the 

 food-stuffs already enumerated at p. 326 et seq., as supplying nitrogenous 

 food chiefly. For example, 56 grms. (2 oz.) cheese, would supply, on 

 an average, 3 grms. nitrogen and 20 grms. carbon ; or 28 grms. cheese, 

 supplying 1.5 grms. nitrogen and about 10 grms. carbon, and 225 

 grms. (-J Ib.) potatoes, and 225 grms. (-J- Ib.) carrots, supplying together 

 about 1 grm. of nitrogen and 35 grms. of carbon. The diet would then 

 read as follows : 



* As meat loses 23 to 34 per cent on cooking, the weight of cooked meat 

 would be proportionately be less. 



