131 



Cereals contain some proteid, but are not nearly so val- 

 uable a proteid source as advertisements have led one to 

 think. Uncle Sam now, through the food laws, exercises 

 some jurisdiction over extravagant labels, and many of the 

 prepared cereals have been forced to markedly modify their 

 claims. 



Next comes a group of heat and energy givers, the 

 starches and sugars, and I use the plural because there are 

 many kinds which the microscope and polariscope have re- 

 vealed to the scientist. They cannot build or repair tissue, 

 but they can furnish heat and energy for the body needs and 

 are as fat stored up to save the tissues from being consumed 

 at some future time of need. 



The fats are another great group, and their special duty 

 seems to be to furnish a quick fuel. It is odd — but fats are 

 seldom or never stored in the body as fats, their quick ener- 

 gy is too valuable, and the slower starches and sugars are 

 used for this purpose. Fats are for warmth then, as the nat- 

 ural diet of all folks in cold climates will show. Finally must 

 be considered, a small group seemingly unimportant, but 

 whose work is to keep the whole machinery of nutrition 

 moving smoothly, and I speak now of the salts and fruit and 

 vegetable acids which go to make up the mineral matter in 

 foods. 



Food, then, must be made up of one or more of these 

 five food principles: Water for the fluids of the body; Pro- 

 teid for tissue building and repairing; Starches, Sugars and 

 Fats for heat and energy, and the ]\Iineral Salts to preserve 

 the proper density of the body fluids, that actual nutrition 

 may take place. 



Again, we must consider the proper proportion of food 

 principles for the balanced ration. Age, climate, sex, and 

 occupation all affect this, but even a limited knowledge of 

 the proper proportion of foods should be of service to the 

 housekeeper as she goes to market. Many housekeepers err 

 from lack of protein: starchy foods for breakfast; again 

 they take the important place at noon and still again at 

 night, when green vegetables and fruits might well be sub- 

 stituted. 



As a result of a long series of experiments conducted at 

 Middletown, Conn., by the government, we have a number 

 of standard dietaries to fit the varying needs induced by age, 

 sex, climate and occupation. 



