Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-01-24
A PLACE FOR THE PEANUT.
LIKELY TO BE ADOPTED AS RA.
TIoNS FOR THE GERMAN ARMY.
European Savants Have Found Out
That Cooked Peanuts Are Nu-
tritious-Peanut Grits and Meal.


THE humble and slightly es-
II teemed peanut is beginning
to assume Importance in the
world. 1t is likely to be
adopted for rations by the army of
Germany, the Department of State is
informed. In that country the OPP
pressive cost of n gigantic military
establishment makes demand for the
cheapest possible food for soldiers.
This requirement is met by the 5000
ber," which is more nutritious than
the best beefsteak and highly digesti-
BILE when properly 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 peanut "cnke"-the
residue after oil has been expressed
from the nuts--is o highly concen-
trated food suitable for human beings.
1t is calculated to be of great value to
the peasant and industrial classes of
Europe, which have suffered from
long and nearly exclusive diet of
bread and potatoes. Hitherto it has
only been employed as forage for cat
tie, sheep and horses. The problem
confronting the experiment scientists
was to convert this crude material
into palatable, nutritious and whole
some human food, easily cooked. This
they have perfectly accomplished,
producing several preparations suit
able 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 onepound boxes
In this form it is used for soups and
cakes, or as vegetable.
Peanut -four is similar to the grits,
except that the material is ground and
bolted like ordinary flour. Another
preparation is in the shape of dry,
light and palatable biscuits of "crack-
ers." The new food isespecially rec
commended for the use of persons af-
ficted with diabetes. Also fairly
acceptable substitute for coffee is made
from peanuts.
One interesting 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.
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.
Boiled peanut grits, for example, are
perfectly digestible, even by sick
people.
For the sake of a test, peanut soup
was fed to ono hundred and twenty
patients in 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 about a
dozen disliked it extremely, being
affected with stomach-ache or vomit-
ing after taking it. They complained
that it had q rancid taste. But all
throve well 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 soldiers, sailors,
workingmen and inmates of prisons
and asylums.
The German military authorities,
promptly accepting the suggestion
offered by the savants, have been
making experiments with peanut meal
and grits, served to the garrisons at
Frankfort and elsewhere. They have
reported 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 "field sausage" of the
army. 1t is likely also to find accept
ance in the navy. One important
quality is its sustaining power, ena-
bling the consumer:".to endure much
fatigue. In this particular it sur
passes even the hitherto unequaled
''soja bean" of China and Japan.
But the most conclusive evidence in
favor of the peanut is furnished by
analyses made by German chemists OF
high authority. They have compared
it in respect to nutritive value with
other food, vegetable and animal.
Pease are more nutritious than beef
steak, white beans are more nutritious
than pease, sofa beans are more nu-
tritious than white beans, peanuts are
more nutritious than sofa beans. In
pound of peanut grits there is nearly
twice as much nutriment as in a pound
of pease. One pound of peanut meal
is nearly equal in nourishing power to
three pounds of beef. Peanut meal
only costs four cents pound in bulk.