74 OUR BODIES AND HOW WE LIVE 



105. Condiments or Appetizers. Certain substances are 

 used by man to give flavor to tasteless foods, thus pro- 

 ducing an increased flow of the digestive juices and a better 

 digestion. These substances, such as pepper, nutmeg, 

 cloves, mustard, ginger, and similar appetizers, are called 

 condiments. Such stimulating foods may be used in safety 

 only in moderation. 



IMPORTANT ARTICLES OF DIET 



106. Different Kinds of Bread. There is no single food 

 in the world which meets so many necessary wants of the 

 body as bread, "the staff of life." It is made from the 

 flour of wheat, oats, rye, Indian corn, and other cereals. 



Wheat flour gives us starch, sugar, and gluten, a form 

 of proteid food. Hence wheat bread contains nearly every- 

 thing to support life except fat. When we eat bread and 

 butter we have a nearly perfect food. 



Corn meal is rich in nitrogen and has much oily matter. 

 It is highly nutritious and a cheap article of food. Oatmeal 

 is richer than flour in nitrogen and fat, and is therefore 

 more nutritious. Rice, though rich in starch, is one of the 

 least nutritious of all the cereals. 



107. Vegetables and Fruits. The common or white potato 

 is a most important article of diet. Although it is more 

 than two thirds water and has little nutriment, yet it is easily 

 digested. Sweet potatoes are rich in starch and sugar. 



Ripe fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, 

 grapes, bananas, melons, oranges, etc., though not of much 

 nutritive value, are a useful addition to our regular diet. 

 They are prized for their agreeable flavor and for the salts 

 which they contain. 



