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CHAPTER III 

 FOODS AND FOOD HABITS 



It is important for us to know the real nutritive value 

 of the foods that we commonly eat. In this study it 

 should be constantly borne in mind that for the proper 

 support of life we must have a considerable amount of pro- 

 teid since this material alone builds up the tissues of the 

 body. Carbohydrates and fats can be used only as sources 

 of heat and force. 



Scientific men who spend their time studying the fossils 

 of animals which lived ages ago, and which are known now 

 only by their imperfectly preserved skeletons, tell us that 

 they can determine what the animal ate and much about 

 the rest of its body if they can find the teeth. We cannot 

 say what it was originally intended that man should eat; 

 certainly it was not the kind of food which he eats now, for 

 many of our foods are recently discovered. But we can say 

 that his teeth are adapted for cutting, tearing and grinding, 

 and that his habits are omnivorous; i. e. he eats almost 

 all kinds of foods. In the preparation of foods, he has con- 

 trived methods which change their flavor, their appearance 

 and their smell. He is able to have summer foods in winter, 

 and spring foods in .the autumn. Since he eats such a variety 

 of things under such different forms, the queries naturally 

 arise: W.hich are the best of these foods? Which kinds 

 are most easily digested? Which yield the most nutriment? 



FOOD HABITS 



We sometimes think that our foods are rather monoto- 

 nous and wish some new kinds might be found; yet it is 



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