The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-05-02
PEANUTS FOB FOOD.
They nre Likely to be Adopted a. Rations
for the German Army,
WdShinoto7, Star.

for tho German Army
Washington, Star.
The humble and slightly esteemed
peanut is beginning to assume impor-
tance in the world. 1t is likely to be
adopted as rations by the army Of Ger
many, the Department of State is in
formed. In that country the oppres-
sive cost of a gigantic military estab-
lishment makes demand for the cheap
est possible food for soldiers. This
requirements met by the goober which
is more nutritious than the best beef
steak and highly digestible when pro-
perly prepared.
Such, at all events, are the conclu-
sions arrived at by DR.. Nordlinger and
other German savants who have been
investigating the subject. They have
found that the peanut "cake"-the
residue after oil has been expressed
from the nuts-is highly concentra-
ted food and suitable for human be-
ings. 1t is calculated to be of great
value to the peasants and industrial
classes of Europe, which have suffer
ed from long and nearly exclusive
diet of bread and potatoes. Hitherto
it has only been employed as forage
for cattle, sheep and horses. The
problem confronting the experiment
ing scientists was to convert this
crude material into palpable, nutri-
tious and wholesome human food,
cheap and easily cooked. This they
have perfectly accomplished, produc-
ing several preparations suitable for
different purposes which have already
been placed on the market. One of
these is peanut grits-the coarse stuff
dried, purified, bolted and packed in
one-pound boxes. In this farm it is
used for soups and cakes, or asa vege-
table.
Peanut flour is similar to the grits,
except that the material is ground and
bolted like ordinary -four. Another
preparation is in the shape Of dry,
light and palatable biscuits or "crack-
ers. The new food is especially re-
commended for the use Of persons af-
Aicted with diabetes. Also a fairly
acceptable substitute for coffee is
made from peanuts.
One te.-esting fact ascertained by
the German savants is that peanuts,
raw or roasted, are not nutritious at
all, for the reason that the digestive
functions refuse to assimilate them.
The chewed PARTICLES pass through and
out of the body almost unaltered. 1t
is the same way with almonds and
with nuts in general. The goober has
to be thoroughly cooked in order to be
profitable as an article Of diet. Boil
ed peanut grits, for example, are
perfectly digestible, even by sick peo-
pie.
For the sake Of test, peanut soup
was fed to one hundred and twenty
patients in a public hospital. More
than half of them found the new food
enjoyable, and ate it gladly whenever
it was offered. Others consumed it
without complaint, while a bout dozen
disliked it extremely, being affected
with stomach ache or vomiting after
taking it. They complained that it
had rancid taste. But all throve
we'll on it. Such being the case with
invalids, some of whom were suffering
with dyspepsia and other digestive
weaknesses, this cheap and nutritious
diet ought to be most valuable for
persons in robust health-particularly
for the soldiers, sailors, workingmen,
and the inmates of prisons and asy-
lums.
The German military authorities,
promptly accepting the suggestion Of
fered by the savants, have been max.
ing experiments with peanut meal and
grits, served to the garrisons at Frank
fort and elsewhere. They have re.
ported favorably to the ministry of
war at Berlin, and, if further trials
are equally satisfactory, the new food
will be adopted as an element OF the
rations and "6eld sausage" Of the
army. It is likely also to find accep-
tance in the navy. One important
quality is its sustaining power, ena-
bling the consumer to endure much
fatigue. In this particular it supass-
es even the hitherto unequaled "soja
bean" of China and Japan.
But the most conclusive evidencein
favor of the peanut is furnished by
analysis made by German chemists OF
high authority. They have compared
it in respect to nutritive value with
other food, vegetable and animal.
Peas are more nutritious than beef
steak, white beans are more nutritious
than peas, sofa beans are more nutrl-
tious than white beans, peanuts are
more nutritious than sofa beans. In
a pound of peanut grits there is nearly
twice as much nutriment as in q
pound of peas. One pound Of peanut
meal is nearly equal in nourishing
power to three pounds Of beef. Pea
nut meal only costs 4 cents a pound IN
bulk.
At present the most important use
of peanuts is in the manufacture OF
oil. The American goobers are larger
sweeter and better favored than any
grown in the world, but they are not
so rich in Gil as the African, the fin
est Of which comes from Senegambia
and the east coast. In East Africa
and India great quantities Of peanuts
are thrashed out by machinery, only
the seeds being exported SO as to save
bulk. At the oil mills the kernels
are ground and then pressed. The
best Of the product is used for salad
oil, the poorer quality is employed in
making soap and as an ingredient OF
oleomargarine. The residue, or
"cake, fetches $50 ton. The shells
of the peanuts constitute about rs
per cent. of their weight and are utll-
lied in Germany as material for pa,
per. Only portion of the so-called
holive-oil sold in this country is re-
ally what it pretends to be. The bal
| ance is made from peanuts mostly.
The best peanut oil costs only 81 a
gallon, furnishing cheap and passa-
Bile substitute for adulteration. Com
paratively few people know the diff
ference anyway. Cargoes Of peanuts
are actually sent across the ocean from
America to be reimported as "olive
oil" The easiest way to distinguish
| IL f,o,,, The fo1oa is Tn nour drOp