
RESULTS OF FOOD INVESTIGATIONS. Len 
same nutritive value, that is to say, they furnish nearly the 
same atnounts of protein and energy. Generally speaking 
the amount of each material in each group is taken as one 
pound. In some cases, however, the composition of the 
material is such as to make it necessary to use more or less 
than one pound in the grouping. For example, one pound of 
round steak, one pound of shoulder clod, one and a half pounds 
of veal neck, and five and a half pounds of skimmed milk fur- 
nish nearly the same amounts of protein and of energy, and 
may be considered as of nearly the same nutritive value. 
In table 43 a number of food materials are grouped in the 
manner thus described. The first column shows the amount 
of each material taken to make it equivalent to the others of 
the group as a source of nutriment. The amounts of protein 
and energy in each material are given, thus showing the minor 
differences in nutritive value. 
Some of the most important food materials which might be 
grouped together are here separated, because they are so impor- 
tant that even minor differences in composition need to be taken 
into account. Wheat flour and corn meal, for example, have 
nearly the same amounts of total nutrients and energy, but the 
flour has rather more protein and it makes up so largea part of 
the ordinary diet that the same weight of corn meal with five- 
sixths as much protein could hardly take its place. The food 
materials which do not readily admit of grouping with others, 
are given separately at the end of the table. 
The prices per pound in table 43 are the mean of those actu- 
ally charged in eighteen different grocery stores and meat and 
fish markets in different places in Connecticut in 1897. These 
prices are used in estimating the costs of the menus beyond. 
The estimate of 4 cents per pound for home-made bread allows 
about one-half for flour, shortening, yeast, etc., and one-half for 
fuel and labor. Bakers’ bread was found to average not far 
from 6 cents per pound where inquiries were made. 
The purpose of the grouping of food materials in the table is 
not only to show what ones have nearly the same proportions 
of actual nutriments, but also to bring out the contrasts between 
those with different values. In making up a daily menu the 
members of the same group or those of different groups not dif- 
fering greatly in protein and energy can be interchanged with- 
out greatly changing the nutritive value of the whole menu. 
