COMPOSITION AND FOOD VALUE 171 



Now pour in the boiling milk and water. Transfer back 

 to saucepan and boil for one minute. Whisk vigorously 

 for a quarter of a minute. Serve without delay. 



Digestibility of Cocoa. 



We have noted above the high percentage of nutrients 

 which cocoa contains, and the research conducted by 

 J. Forster* shows that these nutrients are easily assimil- 

 ated. Forster found that the fatty and mineral con- 

 stituents of cocoa are both completely digested, and the 

 nitrogenous constituents are digested in the same 

 proportion as in finest bread, and more completely 

 than in bread of average quality. One very striking 

 fact was revealed by his researches, namely, that the 

 consumption of cocoa increases the digestive power 

 for other foods which are taken at the same time, and 

 that this increase is particularly evident with milk. 

 Dr. R. O. Neumannf (who fed himself with cocoa 

 preparations for over twelve weeks), whilst not agree- 

 ing with this conclusion, states that : * The con- 

 sumption of cocoa from the point of view of health 

 leaves nothing to be desired. The taking of large or 

 small quantities of cocoa, either rich or poor in fat, 

 with or without other food, gave rise to no digestive 

 troubles during the 86 days which formed the dur- 

 ation of the experiments." He considers that cocoas 

 containing a high percentage of cacao butter are prefer- 

 able to those which contain low percentages, and that 

 a 30 per cent, butter content meets all requirements. 

 It is worthy of note that 28 to 30 per cent, is the quan- 

 tity of butter found in ordinary high-class cocoas. 



As experts are liable to disagree, and it is almost 

 possible to prove anything by a judicious selection 

 from their writings, it may be well to give an extract 

 from some modern text book as more nearly express- 

 ing the standard opinion of the times. In Second Stage 



* Hygienische Rundschau, 1900, p. 305. 

 f Die Bewertung des Kakaos ah Nahrungs- und Genus smittel, 1906. 



