Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-11
Fruit as an Article of Daily Diet.
London Lancet


One Of the most salutary tendencies
OF domestic management in our day
is that which aims at assigning to fruit
a favored place in our ordinary diet.
The nutrient value of such food In
virtue Of It's component starches and
saccharine materials, is generally ad-
mitted; and while these substances
can not be said to equal in accumulate
ed force the more solid ingredients Of
meat and animal fat, they are SINH
larly useful in their own degree and
have, moreover, the advantage of
great digestlbility. Their conversion
within the tissues is also attended
with less friction and pressure on
the constructive machinery. The
locally stimuIant action of many sub
acid fruits on the mucus membrane
deserves mention It's control of too
active peptic secretion, and its infu-
ence of attraction exercised upon the
alkaline and aperient intestinal juice,
are points OF more than superficial
Importance To this action further
effects, which aid the maintenance Of
pure and vigorous circulation, are in
directly due. Thus it follows on the
simplest principles of physiology, that
other essential organs, such as the skin
and kidneys, are relieved by the tran
ference of part of their excretory func-
ton to the bowel and act with greater
ease, the general vacular system is
Iightened by this regulating drain,
and its faculty of absorbing the waste
products of food, and work is encour-
aged in proportion. Almost all per :
sons In fairly normal health may in
dulge in sound ripe fruit in greater Or
less amount. Except in certain cases,
indeed, there is practically no exact
limit to It's consumption under these
circumstances. Among such excep-
tons may be noted the equity and
rheumatic diatheses. A tendency to
diarrhea or dysenteric history obvi-
ously forbids the free or frequent use
of fruit. Saccharine diabetes, orner-
yous conditions IN which it is apt to
appear, are similarly antagonistic at
all events where any but the non~amy~
loid fruits, such as nuts, are consider
ed. Dyspeptic stomachs, on the other
hand, are usually benefited by
moderate allowance of
this light stimulating fare. It must
De remembered, moreover, that every
fruit is not equally wholesome, let the
digestion be as powerful as it may,
Nuts, for example-consisting as they
do for the most part of condensed
albuminoid and fatty matters-can
not compare in acceptance, either by
the palate or the stomach, with other
more succulent kinds, even though
they contain IN the same bulk far
greater amount of nutriment A lit
tie of such fruit is enough for diges-
ton, and that little is best cooked.
Nevertheless, if we take fruit as a
whole, ripe and sound of course, and
consider its variety, its lightness and
nourishing properties, whether eaten
alone or with other food, and it's cheap
abundance, ave can not hesitate to
add our voice in support of its just
claims on public attention. In form
er articles we have shown why vege-
table produce of all kinds should en-
ter largely into the food of children.
Well.chosen fruits are consequently
for them as safe 2nd beneficial as
agreeable.