162 



elmru." I think we are in that boat this morning, so we 

 are glad for those who are here. 



I have great pleasure in introducing as our first speaker. 

 Miss Beulah Hatch, of Simmons' College, who is going to 

 talk to us on "The Value of Fruit as Food,'" a thing most 

 of us fruit growers know very little about and the general 

 l>ublic less than we do. (Applause). 



FRUIT AS FOOD 



Miss Beulah Hatch, Professor of Domestic Science, 

 Simmons College, Boston 



The world loves beauty and fragrance and Nature has 

 been most lavish in putting them into our food, particularly 

 in that variety which we are discussing today, namely, fruit. 



Ours is the joy of watching fruit grow, of enjoying the 

 h)vely perfume of its blossoms, of gathering it. of storing it, 

 <Tnd of preserving it as a food. Its rich coloring, sweet 

 aroma, and delicious flavor make our menus more attrac- 

 tive, stimulate our ap])etites, and fruit rounds out our diet 

 supplying some of those food principles which are not as 

 adequately supplied by other foods. 



Fruit contains carbohydrates. All carlxdiydrates eon- 

 t.'iin carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and in fruit we find four 

 ctirbohydrates: cellulose, or fibre; starch: sugar; and pectin. 



The cellulose in fruit, as in vegetables, gives bulk which 

 rtimulates the muscular action of the intestinal walls, thus 

 aiding digestion and having a laxative effect. 



Starch is found in unripe fruits, but in the process of 

 ripening it is converted into sugar by the action of acids and 

 enzymes. 



Green fruit often causes digestive disturbances because 

 of the starch contained in it. If the fruit is underripe, it 

 should ])e cooked to render the starch more easily digested. 



There are several kinds of sugar found in our foods and 

 of these three are found in fruits, namely, cane sugar, grape 



