1442 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OP PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



higher percentage of protein than the 

 original nut. Some attempts have been 

 made to thus utilize poanut-cake meal, 

 but the results have not been very satis- 

 factory. 



Pecuniary Economj of Nuts 



The conijiosition and digestibility of 

 nuts have been discussed in the forego- 

 ing pages, but little has been said regard- 

 ing the cost of nutrients and energy 



which they supply as compared with other 

 and more common food materials. The 

 table which follows shows the compara- 

 tive cost of a pound of protein and 1,000 

 calories of energy when furnished by dif- 

 ferent nuts and nut products and some 

 other staple foods, and also the amounts 

 of nutrients and energy which 10 cents 

 worth of these foods would supply, rating 

 the foods at certain average prices per 

 pound. 



Pecuniary Economy of Nuts and Nut Products 



The common nuts — though, with the ex- 

 ception of the peanut, they are more ex- 

 pensive sources of protein and energy 

 than meat and a number of the common 

 foods — may yet be considered reasonably 

 cheap sources of nutrients and energy, 

 and hence may be regarded as justifiable 

 additions to the diet on the score of econ- 

 omy. For the vegetarian or fruitarian, 

 -who looks to nuts as the chief source 

 of protein in the diet, the peanut must 

 be considered as much the most econ- 

 omical. As may be seen by a reference 

 to the table, 10 cents will purchase more 

 protein and energy when expended for 

 the flours and meals than for any of the 

 other foods, but it must be remembered 

 in this connection tbat these are the raw 

 materials requiring considerable prepara- 



tion before they are ^ palatable. This is 

 not necessary with fruits and nuts, ex- 

 cept in the case of the peanut and chest- 

 nut, which are usually roasted before tliey 

 are considered palatable by most persons, 

 though there are those who prefer them 

 raw. When considering nuts, it is readi- 

 ly observed that 10 cents will buy about 

 the same amount of nut protein as of 

 animal protein, except in case of cheese 

 and skim milk. If spent for peanuts, it 

 will purchase more tlian twice the pro- 

 tein and six times the energy that could 

 be bought for the same expenditure for 

 porterhouse steak. 



It is of more than passing interest to 

 note that 10 cents' worth of peanuts will 

 contain about 4 ounces (120 grams) of 

 protein and 2,7fi7 calories of energy. 



