New-York tribune., 1897-01-17
THE AMERICAN APPETITE.
1T is UNDERGOING A SLOW TRANS
FORMATION.
GREAT INCREASE IN THE CONSUMPTION or
SWEETS AND IT'S EFFEcT-A TENDENCY
TOWARD HIGH SEASONING.

TOWARD HIGH SEASONING.
That the American appetite IS changing, slowly
yet definitely as the years 20 oy Is one Oh '"e
curious facts that escape the attention OF most peo-
pie Its tendencies easily to be seen In the hgh'
OF recent dietetlc Investigations. which men ike
Professor w O. Atwater. OF Wesleyan University.
and Edward Atkinson. Of Boston, nave peen pro"~
cutting for several years past These invesueator>'
however have confined themselves largely 70
studies Of the comparative nutrimcnt OF the h"e''
ent foods Of America the most complex and m
elusive bill of fare OF the world II has been re-
served for men Of lesser note point out the new
directions OF appetite and precisely what these
mean.
There is one of thcse tendencies that. because OF
its Importance. oyershadows all the rest-tne
largely increasing consumption or sugar IN"
sweets Primarily this has been brought about by
the cheapening OF all kinds and grades OF sugar;
that is its full has been placed within 'he
reach of many OF tho poor. who. when pouho
cost seven cents and even more. had to limit ther
delvng into the sugar bowl. The surprising tnihs.
though. is that cheap sugar should have proved
such a boon Other foods have gone down In prfce.
and the consumption OF them has not Increased
materially But let fraction OF cent go on tho
price OF sugar and hundreds Of barrels more OF u
are eaten. There is no other country In the worio
that Is Developing fast or surely such a sweet
tooth.
Scientific men say that in time this tendency VIII
completely alter the American OF taste. ana
will make a greater variety Of food necessary 70
satisfy the craving OF the future Americans sys-
tenn Already It has had some effect In reducing TO
a degree the consumption OF alcoholic liquors II
Is "A well-known fact that total abstaners. as
general thing eat a great deal OF sugar. getting
large part of the pleasures of their diet from IT,
With sugar placed within the OF every labor.
ing mans pocket that he can thoroughly SATISFY
himself with 1t three times day some part OF
the temptation to drinking Is removed. Scientists
say that II sugar continues low in price an inden-
mite length OF time this tendency will be very
marked. 1t takes 1t should be said. many years
to bring such change about.
At first sight the importance OF this does not
make itself apparent. 1t is better understood.
however when the scientific fact is explained that
food is divided into three great divisions-the
nitrogenous roughly speaking. the meats the
fats and oils and the starchy substances. such as
-four potatoes and most important OF ALL grape
sugar. Everything popularity known as sweet Is
changed IN the course Of digestion by the acttCn
OF the saliva and the pancreatic juice into this
grape sugar which exists In its primary state In
grapes and fruits Of all kinds Sugar is. therefore.
one of the elementary forms Of food and in ono
or another of .ts forms practically principle OF
life.
Whether the great increase in its use is going to
do any harm the American people Is something
III
conceded that digestivey IL will prove decided
benefit in the way it il yearly forming larger
proportion of the diet for thereby a smaller pro-
portion OF meat Is eaten-an advantage. for a meat
diet tends to nervousness and exctablity but many
physicians believe that IL will prove of serious In
jury TO the coming generations teeth This point
IL being actively debated now.
Sugar nevertheless, important as II Is, Is not the
only article of diet that IL having an effect upon
the appetite OF Americans. Beer. made according
TO the German method. has increased enormously In
popularity among people In this country that have
no German connections or affiliations. and not only
that but darker colored, heavier beer Is more and
more coming into vogue 1t Is quite the same With
years ago hardly known among English speaking
Americans. enjoying an extended sale In the
large American cities. a further general tendency
is toward food we'll spced and curiously seasoned
I'm foreign styles. The swarm OF foreigners that has
been pouring into the harbor Of New ork for nfty
years has brought this about. II t. true but II Is
| astonishing how nearly all native Americans have
taken TO these foreign dishes materially altering
their tastes.
Oils and condiments OF many strange and pun.
gent favors have risen into esteem. and German,
Spanish and Hungarian cookery has settled down
in no uncertain popularity. The simple, old fash
oned cookery of the past Is no longer cared for.
and the "bakngs' so distinctivey American have
gone by 1t is probable. never 10 return. This 10
the tendency even among the poorer classes.
Again. the foods. little by little. are being
dropped out of the category of breakfast dinner
and supper possibilities. and being replaced
BY those OF finer quality. This is especially tho
case in bread and meat. and il due TO "A finer ap-
probation ami more delicate sense Of taste.