FOODS 31 



digested. Fruit, nuts, and similar foods act upon the taste 

 in the same way as salt. 



54. Bad food. Food which smells or tastes musty or 

 decayed is always unfit for food and may be poisonous. 

 Spoiled milk or cream is the worst of all. Young children 

 and babies should never drink milk which is the least 

 sour. Moldy bread or meat may cause sickness of the 

 stomach and great pains in the lower part of the body. 

 The food of diseased animals is as bad as spoiled food. 

 Canned food should not be opened until it is to be eaten, 

 for it soon spoils when exposed to the air. I 



Unripe fruit cannot be digested at all unless it is cooked. 

 Green apples or cherries are not fit for any one. In them 

 the starch and sugar are like the starch in grass. But by 

 thorough cooking they may sometimes be made harmless. 



55. Diseased food. Food may contain disease germs. 

 Consumption is often caught in this way. Meat is the 

 most often diseased ; and of meat, pork the most often 

 contains disease germs. Cooking destroys the germs. So 

 we should never eat raw meat. 



56. Choice of food. The different kinds of meal and 

 flour are almost the same in price. Meats, fish, and vege- 

 tables of the same food value differ greatly in their cost. 

 The variety of foods, or their good appearance, or their un- 

 usually fine taste makes them high-priced. What is called 

 the best food may look and taste better, but is often no 

 more nourishing than cheaper food. The cheaper meats 

 and fish furnish good food at half the cost of the best 

 kinds. If they are well cooked, they will taste as good as 

 the best. Plain flour and meal are cheap, but prepared and 

 ready mixed kinds cost far more and are no better for food. 



57. Water. Water is also a food, but we call it a drink. 

 Water itself is everywhere the same, but different sub- 



