BANANAS AS FOOD 121 



deficient in protein and fat as compared with the 

 cereal products, but it is a more valuable source of carbo- 

 hydrate." 



NUTRITIVE VALUE OF BANANA AND OTHER FOODS 

 COMPARED 



Dr. R. Hutchison * says : " The food-fruits are not to 

 be despised as sources of real nutriment. Of this group 

 the banana is a good example. In the fresh state this 

 fruit contains a fair amount of carbohydrate and an appreci- 

 able amount of proteid as well ; while bananas dried in the 

 sun compare favourably with dried figs in nutritive value." 

 He continues later : " Weight for weight, dried figs are 

 more nourishkig than bread, and a pint of milk and six 

 ounces of dried figs make a good meal." Of dates he says : 

 " The date is as much a staple article of diet to the 

 Egyptian as rice is to the Hindu, but the carbohydrate of 

 rice is mainly in the form of starch, whereas in the date 

 it is almost solely present as sugar. 4 A half-pound of 

 dates and half a pint of milk make an ample and satisfying 

 meal for a person engaged in sedentary labour ' (Dens- 

 more)." The table on p. 122, taken from Dr. Tibbies' 

 work,f shows how much alike these three fruits are 

 in their composition. 



The quick growth of an appreciation of the importance 

 of the banana as food among those who have not known 

 it hitherto as a common article of food like the cereals and 



Food and Dietetics." 



Foods : their Origin, Composition, &c." 



