3 
as well as the tissue-building proteins. Fish roe generally contains 
more protein than beef, and some fat in addition. Fish meat is 
quite as easily digested (i. e., as large a proportion in as short a 
time) as other forms of meat. It has been recommended as bein^ 
a highly suitable form of protein for sedentary workers. It will 
be observed in the figures given below that when fish compare 
unfavorably with other meats the difference is chiefly in fat. Fat 
has twice the fuel value of protein, and shows up heavily in the 
fuel-value column, but protein is the only tissue-building material. 
It has no substitute and is the high-priced element of food, while 
fats may be replaced by other diets, such as vegetables, with their 
sugars and starches. Fuel energy is the only element in food values 
that can be expressed in figures, but it would be a serious mistake to 
make this the sole standard of comparison without considering the 
quite essential tissue-building function of proteins, the value of 
which can not at present be expressed in figures. 
The following tabulated analyses show comparisons of fish with 
other common meats: 
Analysis and Food Value of Fish and Other Meats, Edible Part, Dressed. 
Kind. 
Water. 
Dry flesh. 
Protein. 
Fat. 
Ash. 
Total nu¬ 
trients. 
Fuel 
value per 
pound. 
Sirloin steak. 
Per cent. 
60.00 
Per cent. 
40.00 
Per cent. 
20.00 
Per cent. 
19.00 
Per cent. 
1.00 
Per cent. 
39.00 
Calorics. 
1,175 
Salmon, fresh. 
63.60 
36.40 
21.60 
13.40 
1.40 
35.00 
'965 
Beef, round. 
66.70 
33.30 
23.00 
9.00 
1.30 
32.00 
805 
Shad. 
70.62 
29.28 
18.55 
9.48 
1.25 
28.03 
745 
Mackerel. 
64.01 
28.38 
18.77 
8.21 
1.40 
26.98 
695 
Eel. 
64.51 
35.49 
15.82 
18.74 
.93 
34.56 
1,085 
795 
Butterfish. 
69.84 
30.16 
17.99 
11.03 
1.14 
29.02 
Striped bass. 
77.47 
22.53 
18.54 
2.83 
1.16 
21.37 
460 
Flounder. 
84.21 
15.79 
13.82 
.69 
1.28 
14.51 
285 
Halibut. 
75.42 
24.58 
18.35 
5.18 
1.05 
23.53 
560 
Mutton, leg. 
61.80 
38.20 
18- 30 
19.00 
.90 
37.30 
1,140 
Chicken.. 
71.30 
28. 70 
24.30 
2.60 
1.40 
26.90 
'540 
Herring roe. 
76.88 
23.12 
17.53 
2.41 
2.18 
19.94 
425 
Shad roe. 
71.29 
28.71 
23.40 
3.78 
1.53 
27.18 
533 
Carp. 
78.43 
21.57 
19.07 
1.26 
1.24 
20.33 
405 
Analysis of Fish and Other Meats, Undressed, as Purchased. 
Kind. 
Edible 
part. 
Water. 
Dry 
flesh. 
Protein. 
Fat. 
Ash. 
Total 
nu¬ 
trients. 
Fuel 
value per 
pound. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Calories. 
Beef, round. 
90.00 
60.00 
30.00 
20.62 
8.11 
1.20 
28.80 
72b 
Beef, sirloin. 
75.00 
45.00 
30.00 
15.00 
14.25 
.75 
29.25 
885 
Mutton, leg. 
81.60 
50.82 
31.42 
15.07 
15.50 
.78 
30. 50 
938 
Salmon. 
64. 70 
40.60 
24.10 
14.30 
8. 80 
1. 00 
23.10 
635 
Eel. 
64. 00 
41.60 
22.70 
10.14 
12.00 
.55 
22.14 
684 
Mackerel. 
55. 40 
40.40 
15.00 
10.00 
4. 30 
.70 
14.30 
365 
Carp. 
50. 00 
39. 22 
10. 78 
9.53 
.63 
.62 
10.16 
202 
Halibut. 
82.30 
61.90 
20.40 
15.10 
4. 40 
.90 
19. 50 
465 
Chicken. 
58. 40 
41.60 
17. 20 
14.20 
1.20 
.80 
15. 40 
315 
The analyses given are only representative. The food value of 
fish is variable from month to month, the variations being largely 
due to fluctuations in content of fat, especially in the fat species, 
like eels, shad, and salmon. 
Fish meat compares favorably with other meats in digestibility. 
Experiments recently carried out in the States Relations Service, 
i 
i 
