24 THE MILK QUESTION 



mothers somewhat longer than in this country, and are 

 weaned gradually upon a farinaceous and miscellaneous 

 diet. China and other countries also get along without the 

 use of milk. 



Furthermore, milk contains more protein than the adult 

 requires. The average man needs about three thousand 

 four hundred calories a day, but the milk which would pro- 

 vide that much energy would contain 0.34 pounds of pro- 

 tein. A moderately active man of average build does not 

 need more than 0.28 pounds of protein daily. Therefore 

 an adult upon a milk diet somewhat approaches the per- 

 son eating too much meat. 



Again, milk is a rather dilute food for adults, so that it 

 would be necessary for a man to drink at least four or five 

 quarts daily to obtain sufficient nourishment from it. 

 A quart of milk contains in all about four ounces of nu- 

 triment. This is the same amount found in three fourths of 

 a pound of beef or six ounces of bread. But while the quart 

 (two pounds) of milk, the twelve ounces of beef, and the six 

 ounces of bread all supply like amounts of nutriment, the 

 nutritive values are not exactly the same; that is, they 

 would not be equally useful as food. Thus the beef is rich 

 in proteins and poor in carbohydrates; bread is rich in car- 

 bohydrates and poor in proteins and fat; while milk con- 

 tains proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in just about the 

 proportions needed in a well-balanced ration. 



When compared by weight with other articles, the food 

 value of milk does not seem to be high because milk con- 

 sists of such a large proportion of water (about 88%). 

 When, however, the portions ordinarily served at meals are 

 considered, the high worth of milk is clearly shown. The 

 food value of one half a pint of milk is approximately equal 

 to two large eggs, to a large serving of lean meat, to two 

 moderate-sized potatoes, to five tablespoonfuls of cooked 

 cereals, to three tablespoonfuls of boiled rice, or to two 

 slices of bread. 



