Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-11-15
THE SENSE OF TASTE.
iT SHOULD BE THE BEST GUIDE TO
THE FOOD WE NEED.

II Not Perverted, Ii VIII Select Those
Substances For which the Eody Is
Suffering - We Use Entirely Too
Much Salt.
The function OF the taste doubtless
sustains a much more important rela-
ton to digestion than has been gen.
orally accorded to it. says DIR. kellogg.
Food to be digested must be appetiz-
ing. Food which pauseates does not
stimulate the secretion of the fluid nee.
essary TO digest it either in the mouth
or the stomach. The sense of taste
may be regarded as a sort OF regula-
ton. Hence 1t Is an important proper
~ OF food that the sense of taste may
be stimulated and that it may have
Nm opportunity to exercise its selective
and controlling functions.
When one has eaten u sufficient
amount OF simple. wholesome food, the
seEse OF taste informs him Of the fact
by declining to receive more. A per-
feet rule for mastication would be to
chew each morsel of food until there
Ia left only u tasteless remnant. 1t is
useless to swallow such a residue. as II
can have no nutritiye value. When
food is taken in this way. the sense of
taste has an opportunity to say
enough" before too much has been
swallowed and thus affords n perfect
means of adapting the amount of food
taken to the needs of the body.
A careful study of this suggestion
will also show that the sense OF taste,
II allowed to act In a normal way. will
select those substances of which the
body is In great need. For example, ii
the blood is impoverished and needs
an extra supply of heterogeneous food
there will be a craving for such foods
as nuts, lcgumes and possibly eggs
and milk or some other substance %
tanning nitrogen.
A curious analogy TO this function Is
found In some insectivoroIs plants
which. as has been shown by recert
experiments. refuse TO capture insects
or pay attention TO fragments OF meal
placed within their grasp except wher
the soil upon which they grow is lack
Ing In heterogeneous elements. BY sup
plying a fertilizer rich in nitrogen
these so called carnivorous plant:
cease 10 be carniyorous and behav,
wholly like other plants. The sam,
principle applies TO the use Of FL
making substances. such as starch,
and oleaginous foods. such as nuts ant
ssatnalc Thn u-rifnr has fvnnt1nptIr ah
served in hin patients n craving TO
fats. which disappeared entirely afte,
the patient had made n gain OF 20 O
80 pounds.
The taste was no doubt Intended b,
the Creator 10 be a perfect guide t,
the quantity and quality of food TO b.
taken and not simply a means of gus
tatory pleasure. Unfortunately it la;
been terribly debauched and peryert
ed from its normal function. Men an,
women treat the palate as the pianis
treats his instrument. touching 1t Il
various ways simply for the purpose o
provoking p~leasurable sensations. witt
TO regard whatever for the possible
needs OF the body or the possible dam
age which may be caused. The sens,
OF taste. thus wrongly educated. be
comes perverted. and its indication
become confused. Abnormal craving
are developed. which demand satisfac
ton In the use Of tea. coffee. wine ant
other intoxicants, mustard, pepper AMI
other condiments. large quantities O
salt. pickles and rich and sayory dish
es OF various sorts. together witt
sweets. ices and tidbits OF all kinds
The sense of taste has been dethronet
from It's high position as governor o.
nutrition and has come TO be merel,
the servant OF a capricious and insatia
BILE desire for an illegitimate sensa
uon. a purely selfish animal pleasure
This is %giuttoIy. pure and simple. ant
is the apt tutor and hail companion OF
alcoholic intemperance.
The free use OF common salt mus,
likewise be placed among serious
dietetic errors. Professor Bunge OF
Basel. tie leading physiological chem
list of the world. with many others. has
shown that the so called necessity FOL
the alimentary use OF salt rests upor
q very uncertain and equivocal. II no.
erroneous. basis and that at most salt