CHAPTER VII 



FOOD AND MEDICINE 



QUANTITY *OF FOOD 



Measurement of Food. The body is like a blacksmith's forge; 

 the lungs are the bellows, and the food the coal. Since the lungs 

 furnish the blood with air which burns up the fuel that we digest, 

 the value of a food depends upon the amount of heat energy and 

 repairing ability which it supplies for the body. This is measured 

 in Calories. A Calory here means the amount of heat required to 

 raise 1 kilogram (1000 grams of water) 1 C. or about 1 pound of 

 water 4 F. This Calory is written with a capital C, thus distinguish- 

 ing it from the calory written with a small C (the amount of heat 

 .required to raise one gram of water 1 C.). 



The Values of Food Vary. Not all foods have the same number 

 of Calories per pound. Some foods are very rich in food value, while 

 others contain a small number of Calories; for example, a pound of 

 raisins at 12 cents has as much food value in Calories as 3J pounds 

 of lobster for $2.00. A pound of cornmeal flour has the same food 

 value in Calories as 1J pounds of sirloin steak or 15 eggs. One would 

 Jiave to eat $9.00 worth of lettuce and tomato salad to furnish a 

 day's requirement of Calories; while 30 cents worth of butter or 

 10 cents worth of sugar would give the same number of Calories. 



1 ib. Lean Beef 



580 Food Unit* 



720 FooJ Unit. 



385 Food Units 



325 Food Units 



1 Ib. Sirloin Steak 



1130 Food Units 



1 Ib. Plain Bread 



1 Ib. Mutton Leg 



lib 



1200 Food Units 



330 Food Units 



905 Food Units 



633 Food Units 



465 Food Units 



189 



