Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-19
NO. 68.
FOOD AND ITS QUALITIES.

For the due preservation and enjoyment
of health much discrimination is necessary
in the choice of food, whether animal or
vegetable. It may be taken as . general
rule, that the flesh of the full grown ami
NAL is more digestible and nutritive than
that of its young. Thus, beef or mutton
are OF more easy digestion than veal or
lamb but, on the contrary. the flesh of
the sucking pig is more wholesome than
that OF the larger animal. OF all meat,
tender wether mutton is by far the most
nutritious and digestible; but the fat of
mutton. having a tendency TO coagulate.
it is less easy assimilated in the stoma b
than the fat of most larger animals. Beef
is not OF SO easy digestion, but is equally,
if not more nutritive. But beefis difficult
of solution in the stomach; and cow beef
is not SO tender and nourishing as the
flesh of the OK. Pork and bacon are q
heavy and indigestible food, and fit only
Tor such persons as lead an active or labO-
rious life; and even by them they should
be used sparingly, as by their too frequent
use, the bowels will be disordered. and
eruptions on the skin occasioned Fish is
less nutritive than meat, and therefore is
not adapted to form diet by itself. But
it is not so difficult of digestion, and is
more quickly converted into chyle. 1t is
also less stimulant than the flesh of
animals, and it is said to be better adapted
to weak and delicate habits. !.
But the truth of this position may be
we'll doubted; for as fish is generally al
lowed to linger and die in order to keep it
fresh for the market, from this cause,
probably, is occasioned its disagreement
with some stomachs. The usual condi-
ments Of high-seasoned sauces render fish
of all kinds more difficult of digestion
than they would otherwise be; to render
it salutary food, vinegar and salt form
the best additions. Of this last mentioned
species of food, the cod, turbot, sole,
whiting, founder land fresh herring are the
most nutritive, and the easiest of digestion
the salmon and mackerel the most indigest-
ible. Eels are nourishing, but difficult to d.
gest. The turtle. when not injured by re-
finements of cookery, is wholesome and
nutritious. Oysters, eaten in raw state,
with slight addition of vinegar and pep
per may be considered Strengthening, and
not unwholesome; but when stewed, they
are highly indigestible; quality belong
ing to the whole tribe of shell-fish. Mus
cles are of a viscid nature, and on that
account they often seriously disorder the
bowels. In general, salt water fish are
more wholesome than river fish. OF birds,
the woodcock, partridge, grouse. quail,
lark, turkey and the common fowl, are
considered the most wholesome and di-
gestible and the goose, wigeon, teal,
and the wild and tame duck, the most
difficult of solution, and the most likely to
disagree with the stomach. The pheasant
is less digestible than the common fowl,
and the pidgeon furnishes food of dry
and heating nature.
In general, the flesh of birds is lighter,
drier, and more easily digested than that
of animals; and as the blood produced
from it is light and full of spirit, it is
favorable to the exercise of the mind. But
there is very little nourishment in poultry
and most kinds of game in proportion to
their bulk. Raw eggs are nutritive and
generally laxative; but if they are boiled
hard they produce costiveness. To obvi-
ate this effect, they should boil no longer
than is necessary (namely, three minutes)
to coagulate the greater part of the white,
or albumen, without depriving the y0lk
of its fluidity. Game of all kinds is in
general wholesome. The flesh of the
leveret, when roasted, is nutritive, and
easily digested; and that of the tame rab-
bit is of similar quality to the flesh of the
fowl, and equally digestible. And not
withstanding the common opinion to the
contrary, the flesh Of the wild rabbit is
one of the lightest and most digestible
articles of food in use-a quality that may
be predicted of all wild animals used for
food, in preference to those that are coop
ed or shut up.-London Lancet.