The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-03-24
Selection and Preparation of Food.

Food may be divided into three
classes. That class which supplies the
lungs with fuel and thus furnishes heat
to the system and supplies fat, may be
called carbonates, carDon being the
principal element: that class which sup
plies the waste of muscles may be called
nitrates, nitrogen being the principal
element; and that which supplies the
bones, the brains and the nerves, and
gives vital power both bodily and men
tai, may be called phosphates, because
phosphorus is the principal element. OF
these three classes. four times as much
carbonaceous food is required as there
is OF heterogeneous, and of the phosphates
not more than two per cent. of the car
Donates, and animal and vegetable
foods are equally adapted to supply
these necessary elements.
afr In animal food the carbonates are
furnished in fat, and the nitrates in al
bumen, fibrine and caseine In vege-
table food the carbonates are furnished
in sugar, starch and little fat, and the
nitrates in gluten, albumen and caseine.
The phosphates in both animal and veg
ed etable food, are found inseparably con-
nected with the nitrates, none being
found in any of the carbonates. :,
Wheat contains the fourteen elements
which constitute the human system;
and the proportion of matchmaking,
sheat-pfoducing and brain and nerve
producing elements are in about the
average proportions required IN mod
crate weather, with moderate exercise
of bodily and mental faculties, these
elements being required in different
amounts, according to the employments
of the individual and the temperature
OF the atmosphere. The man who is
chopping wood in an atmosphere at
zero, and he who uses only his brain in
room at seventy degrees, consume
- very different elements in very different
Proportions, and therefore require very
different elements of food.
SIG The fourteen elements are contained
In the whole grain or in unbolted -four,
and while bread made from this flour,
mixed only with pure cold water. is I'M
doubleday the more wholesome, we need
not necessarily confine ourselves to it
as an article of food. In making SUI
e~perlne flour the food for muscles and
brains is lost, but this loss can be sup
g phed by eating with bread made from
s~a 1t, lean meat, fish, cheese, or any other
n food containing similar elements.
y y The flour which contains the most
= gluten or muscle making food, is
not only the most .nourishing but
Z the most economical. d Gluten abb
serbs water, which causes the paste to
swell, and in this way housekeepers can
Judge OF the strength of the flour; and
when we consider that flour with the
most gluten is not only twenty-five per
cent. more economical than that with
the least amount of it, but that it is also
sweeter and more digestible in the same
proportion, it becomes.a matter of great
Importance to be able to Judge Of it's
richness in gluten. But let your bread
be raised with yeast, not with soda.
Mrs Richards, who is connected with
the School of Chemistry for women in
Boston, says in her lecture upon Chem
istry in the Household'' words to this
effect: " Saleratus is in itself an active
:, poison. The poison is neutralized by
acids, but if the wives and mothers of
our land were aware that in all cases
where not entirely neutralized, it acts
as a destroyer upon the inner coats of
the stomach, causing dyspepsia and its
train OF horrors, they would Danish it as
much as possible from their kitchens.
Cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda
should be purchased of the druggist in
stead OF the grocer; the soda should
be slfted before measuring, to remove
the Jumps and the proportions of two
spoons OF acid to one of soda should be
very accurate, evening off each spoonful
rs carefully as possible
tits not as safe to use sour milk to
neutralize the soda, for there are so
of -
impossible to determine the exact
amount OF soda required, and any ex-
cess causes disease
Next to wheat, rye is the best of the
cereals 1t contains more heat produc-
ing. but less OF the muscle and brain
producing elements than wheat, and the
same is true of Indian corn. Rhode
Island -" Johnny cake'' made without
soda or eggs, with meat, fish or eggs as
an accompaniment furnish breakfast
good enough, not only for a king, but
for any member of the Farmers Club of
Franklin. While rye and Indian together
make the wholesome and delicious
brown bread of our fathers time:
very different article from the bakers
brown bread of the present day.
Buckwheat is inferior to wheat in it's
nutrltlve elements; contains more heaters
and not half the muscle and brain
feeders. Eaten alone therefore, it is
not much better than superfine -four,
and requires beefsteak or fish to give
the necessary food.
Barley is rich in phosphates, but it
cannot be made into light bread. In
the form of cakes and porridge it is a
good brain food, and pearl barley is
good in sickness when vitality is low.
Oatmeal is rich in food for muscles
and brains; and in one pint of oatmeal
cruel there is as much of muscle max
2 ing material as in five gills of unbolted
meal Cruel, or in three quarts of fine
flour Cruel.
Starch, sugar and fat are the three
chief heat-giving principles of food. !
Potatoes contain large proportion of
starch, and this makes them valuable in
connection with other food.
Rice contains little nutriment. 1t
helps out meal with beefsteak, etc.,