TROPICAL FOOD MATERIALS 



105 



{b) The Burma, Rangoon, or white rice, also variously described as 

 ' uncured,' ' milled,' or ' polished ' rice, which is prepared by milling the un- 

 husked paddy until the husk, the pericarp, and the surface layers of the 

 seed are removed, which results in the production of a nice clean white grain, 

 partially denuded of its outer layers and to some extent of its protein. 



At the present time many authorities believe that the differences between 

 these two methods of preparation of rice are the explanation of the etiology 

 of beri-beri, as they believe that the latter method, by separating the sub- 

 pericarpal layers from the rice, deprives it of a substance which is absolutely 

 necessary for the health of the human body. 



Maize. — With reference to this much-abused and excellent food, which has, 

 in our opinion, been wrongfully accused of causing pellagra, we may briefly 

 state that it is prepared for food by crushing between millstones or milling by 

 machinery to produce maize-meal, which can be made into unleavened 

 bread (porous bread cannot be made, because of the absence of the gluten 

 found in wheat-meal), into porridge or polenta. Often, however, it is roasted, 

 and eaten with butter and salt. 



In general, about 74 to 88 per cent, of its protein is absorbed, and, as regards 

 India, McCay says that it is decidedly superior to all the cereals experimented 

 upon, with the exception of wheat. Woods says that it is wholesome, cheap, 

 and well suited to its numerous uses as a food material, and provides a greater 

 return in protein, carbohydrates, and energy for the same outlay than any 

 other cereal. 



Millet. — The sorghums, or millets, according to McCay, show a very defec- 

 tive protein absorption — e.g., Sorghum vulgare 53 per cent., and Pennisefum 

 typhoideum only 49*4 per cent. 



Legumes. — The legumes are extensively used in the tropics, and among 

 them come the dais, or dhals, of India {Cajanus indicus, Ervum lens Linn., 

 Cicer arietinum Linn., Pisum sativum Linn,, Phaseolus radiatus, Ph. mungo, all 

 belonging to the Legaminosae), which are allied to the European pea, and all 

 contain a high percentage of protein, whereby they occupy an important 

 position in the food of tropical peoples. They are utilized by being ground 

 into meal, from which unleavened bread, porridge, or sauce is prepared, or 

 they are simply dried (parched) and eaten in this condition. 



They resemble rice in absorbing a large quantity of water when cooked, and 

 so becoming bulky, but they diSer from this and other food materials in that 

 they are less thoroughly digested. Moreover, their addition to diet lowers 

 the percentage absorption of all the food factors, but especially that of the 

 protein factor. 



McCay considers that these dhals produce a great waste of nutriment, in that 

 25'42 per cent, of the nitrogen of the food appears in the faeces of Bengalis, 

 while only 15 per cent, appears in that of Europeans on a vegetable diet. 

 Moreover, he considers that they are a factor in the production of the bowel 

 disorders so common among the Bengalis. 



Wilson has recently'' performed much excellent work in investigating diets 

 in Egypt. He gives a table of food values, of which the following is an 

 extract: — 



100 Grammes of — 



Available 

 Protein. 



Available 

 Carbohy- 

 drate. 



Fat. 



Calories. 



Cost in 

 Milliemes. 



Millet bread 



3-4 



45-0 



1*5 



212*5 



0*6577 



Dura 



7-8 



65-5 



54-0 



344*3 



0*82 



Soya bean meal . . 



32-0 



28-5 



2*1 



269*0 



0*80 



Dried dates 



1-9 



47-0 



0-6 



253-0 



2*44 



Ffil Sudani 













(shelled) 



I9'0 



i6'8 



45-0 



562*0 



1.787 



