148 PHYSIOLOGY. 



Wheat. Wheat furnishes the principal breadstuff 

 among the more civilized nations. It is especially 

 adapted to the temperate zones. Taking into consid- 

 eration its composition, digestibility, and other charac- 

 teristics, it is the most desirable of all the grains for 

 civilized man. 



Wheat Flour. In ordinary white flour nearly all the 

 gluten has been removed with the bran or " middlings." 

 While wheat or bread made from the whole grain of the 

 wheat may support life, one would starve if he attempted 

 to live on common white bread alone. It is almost en- 

 tirely starch. In the "entire wheat flour" it is claimed 

 that all the gluten is retained, only the very thin outer 

 husk of the grain being removed. It does not make so 

 white a flour, but it is better adapted to use as a food. If 

 we use white bread, having thrown away the nitrogenous 

 part of the wheat, we need to take more proteid from 

 other sources than if we used the entire wheat flour. This 

 is not economy. And it is claimed that the entire wheat 

 bread is more wholesome as well as more nutritious. The 

 part thrown away has in it phosphates as well as the nitrog- 

 enous material. This flour is ground fine so that it has 

 not the coarse particles which are in Graham flour, and 

 which are a source of irritation to the mucous coat of the 

 digestive tube in some persons. 



Corn. Corn is one of the most nutritious of the grains. 

 Although somewhat less readily digested than similar 

 preparations of wheat, and, consequently, less desirable 

 for indoor workers, it is a fact that, for a given amount 

 of money, more nutriment can be obtained in corn meal 

 than in any other food known. Corn furnishes food to 

 a large part of the human race. 



