122 APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 



Corn meal boiled, or made into pancakes or corn bread, is almost as 

 easily digested as wheat flour. It contains a larger amount of fat than 

 any other grain. 



Oatmeal when boiled to a mush is a very popular article of diet. It 

 requires more time and energy in its digestion than any other common 

 grain food. It leaves a large amount of undigested residue, which 

 sweeps out other waste matters as it is forced down the intestine. 



Rice is poorer in albumin and richer in starch than any other grain. 

 But when animal food is used in connection with it, there is no better 

 combination of food, for it is the equal of flour in digestibility. 



Barley is but little used as food by man. It contains little albumin 

 but a large amount of starch. 



185. Ways of preparing grain. The finest grades of flour 

 make bread which is digested with less cost of energy and with less 

 residue than flour from the' whole grain, while there is but little differ- 

 ence in the amount of albumin and starch which they contain. Hot 

 bread is injurious only when it is moist and sticky so that it cannot be 

 chewed to fine morsels. Old bread is more easily digested than new 

 because it is harder and drier, and so can be chewed fine. 



186. Beans and peas. Beans and peas contain 



Albumin about 25 per cent. 



Starch "60 



Fat " 2 



Their albumin has much the same composition as the 

 caseine of milk, and is called legumin. It requires a large 

 expenditure of time and energy in its digestion. Both 

 legumin and the starch are very liable to ferment in the 

 intestine and produce gases. At least one fifth remains 

 undigested. Beans and peas are good foods for an out- 

 door laborer who has a great deal of spare energy. 



187. Potatoes. Potatoes contain 



Albumin 3 per cent. 



Starch or sugar 22 



Water 75 



