TABLES OF FOOD COMPOSITION 



IN TERMS OF 11 NUTRIENTS 



Prepared by Food Composition Staff, Bureau of Human JSutrition 

 and Home Economics, U. S. Agricultural Research Administra- 

 tion, and Committee on Food Composition, Food and Nutrition 

 Board, National Research Council 



These tables contain average values for food energy, protein, fat, 

 carbohydrate, three minerals, and the better known vitamins for a 

 selected list of foods. To meet the needs of teachers, dietitians, nutri- 

 tionists, and others engaged in planning diets or in calculating the nu- 

 tritive value of food supplies, an attempt has been made to include the 

 foods most commonly used in the United States and as many of the 

 less common foods as there were data to warrant including. Many of 

 the components of the United States Army rations were included also 

 because these products are similar to those now available to civilians or 

 likely to be in the near future. 



Foods are grouped into 10 rather broad classifications on the basis of 

 similarity of character or use. In the small groups, items have been 

 listed alphabetically but in the larger groups, e. g., the grain products, 

 subdivisions have been made to bring together items that may be con- 

 sidered in one category from the standpoint of use. 



In all cases, nutritive values are given for foods as brought into the 

 house for consumption. No account has been taken of losses in food 

 value that may occur in preparation of meals. 



Sources of Data 



The values in these tables were derived in part from data reported 

 in the literature and in part from unpublished data made available 

 through many sources. Particular mention should be made of the im- 

 portant contributions from the research of the State agricultural ex- 

 periment stations and from Federal, commercial, and other laboratories 

 that have carried out analyses through special arrangements with the 

 National Research Council. These collaborative studies have not only 

 supplied data on Army ration components but have helped to nil in 

 some of the gaps in current knowledge particularly with respect to 

 vitamin values of certain foods. 



Protein, fat, carbohydrate. — Most of the values for these nutrients 

 and for calories were taken from a circular which represents a thorough 

 review of available data up to its publication in 1940. 1 Because rela- 

 tively few new data have come into the literature during the last 5 

 years, it was decided not to undertake another review at this time. 

 The reader is referred to the circular for a discussion of the sources and 

 derivation of data from that publication. 



1 Chatfield, C, and Adams, G. proximate composition of American food materials. U. S. Dept. 

 Agr. Cir. 549, 91 pp. 1940. 



