Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-11
HOT BREAD.
why Its Use Is Undesirable and I'm.
healthy.

Why It's Use Is Undesirable and I'm.
healthy.
Physicians often recommend for sick
people Oatmeal or graham pudding,
made by stirring the meal into water
and boiling few minutes, as one of
the first things to be eaten when the
stomach will not bear hearty food.
why Is the meal thus prepared any
more easily digested than new bread or
not mullins, which are considered un-
healthy? Is not the same chemical
change necessary in the one as the
1ner, which can only take place by
standing several hours after cooking?
The two cases are by no means SINH.
lar. The oatmeal or graham flour is
made digest.ble by o-ling, the starch
granules being ruptured so that their
contents are more easily acted upon by
the digestive fluids. In the making and
baking of bread the same change is ac-
complished. The difference between
hot new bread and that which is older
is essentially the same as between
heavy and Eight" bread 1t IS its
'hghtness" or porosity which gives the
bread Its ready digestability. When
new, it is softer. for the steam of the wa
ter it contains; and this makes it difficult
of mast.cation and liable to form a
close and cloggy mass, which, on pass
ing into the stomach, is less easily pen
etrated and acted upon by the gastric
juice. BY cooling and drying it be-
comes firmer and more friable. SO that
it is more thoroughly mixed with the
saliva in the mouth, and goes into the
stomach in better condition for the
process to which it is to be subjected
there.
If the bread is hot enough to melt
the butter eaten with it. this makes the
matter worse. The melted grease fills
up the pores of the bread, and inter
feres with the action of the saliva and
gastric juice. The fatty matters in
pastry are Objectionable for the same
reason, and also on account of the
chemical changes they undergo In the
oven.
Bread becomes more digestible by
toasting, chiefly because it is made
drier and firmer-that is, if toasting
is properly done. The slice should be
rendered crisp throughout its entire
thickness. If it be merely scorched on
the surface, as often happens, the in
terror is merely softened and made like
new Tread, and consequently less
digestible.
What English people call dread
jelly is a light and nourishing article
for weak stomachs, in some cases
preferable to the oatmeal or wheat por-
ridge. 1t is made by sleeping stale
bread in boiling water. and passing it
through fine sieve while still hot. 1t
no ta oil orr tnr hai piv oil
and boiled with milk.
While on this subject, we may re,
mark that oatmeal. cracked wheat and
similar boiled breakfast dishes often
become more or less indigestlble from
being .'bolted' ID the usual Yankee
style. They are soft and go down
easily, and are shOveled or spooned in.
to the stomach, with no delay in the
mouth en- route. They need mast:ca
ton as really as beefsteak does, not tt
save one from choking (Which many
people seem to suppose is the sole rea
son for chewing), but to mix them
thoroughly with saliva. which is di-
gestive agent and not a mere lubricant
to expedite the passage of dry food
down the 9sophagus. A friend OF ours
was lately complaining that oatmeal
did not agree with him. and we found
on inquiry that he was in the habit of
eating it in this hurried way, without
insalivation. He was much surprised
when told that he ought to chew 1t, or
at least to detain it for moment in
the mouth. before swallowing it; but
after brief trial he admitted he had
no more trouble in digestingit it. If the
oatmeal or wheat is not thoroughly
cooked, it is all the more important
that it should be masticated, as the
half-softened grains offer considerable
resistance to the digestive fluids
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