CEREAL BREAKFAST FOODS. 149 



wheat and oats, in its composition more nearly resembling Indian 

 corn. The statement "Flaked Rice stands at the head of all 

 foods as a tissue builder" is not supported by its chemical com- 

 position. The following assertions are printed upon the pack- 

 age: 



"Flaked Rice contains 87 per cent nutriment. 

 Beef " 45 " 



Potatoes "' 21 " 



One pound Flaked Rice contains 21 per cent more .life-giving 

 nourishment than a pound of beef and a pound of potatoes com- 

 bined." 



So far as the total "nutriment" is concerned, the claim of the 

 manufacturers might have been put more strongly. Whatever 

 force the statement possesses lies in placing an equal valuation 

 upon the various nutrients that are here classed together as 

 "nutriment." Since the protein, as shown elsewhere, costs more 

 than the other nutrients, the value of a food must depend more 

 upon this than upon any other single constituent. The com- 

 bined meat and potato contain two and one-half times the amount 

 of protein found in the rice, a fact which more than off-sets the 

 advantage claimed by the. advertisers. 



Grape-Nuts, "made by special treatment of entire wheat and 

 barley." The statement formerly made, that "4 heaping tea- 

 spoons of Grape-Nuts are sufficient for the average meal," is 

 now modified to read, "for the cereal part of a meal." The 

 manufacturers still persist, however, in saying that "the system 

 will absorb a greater amount of nourishment from I pound of 

 Grape-Nuts than from 10 pounds of meat, wheat, oats or bread." 

 The following from Bulletin 55 of this Station, pp. 103-4, shows 

 the absurdity of this statement : 



A man at moderate work needs per day about .28 pounds of 

 protein and sufficient fats and carbohydrates in addition to make ■ 

 the potential energy of the day's food 3,500 calories. Four heap- 

 ing teaspoonfuls of Grape-Nuts weigh about 1 ounce. The pro- 

 tein and energy needed for one meal (1-3 of 1 day) and that fur- 

 nished by 4 heaping teaspoonfuls of Grape-Nuts are compared 

 in the following: table : 



