Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-07
FRUIT FOR SUMMER THIRST.
[From the Lancet.l

Chemical analysis would assign prac-
Ftically no nutritive value to the juicy
fruits, for they consist Of little more
than cellulose envelope containing So
luton of sugar, the amount varying
from IL per cent, as with grapes, to
about Ia per cent, as with lemons. The
amount of water in fruit is consider
able. In watermelons 1t is no less than
So per cent, in grapes 80 per cent, in
oranges Sc per cent, in lemons so per
cent. in peaches IS per cent in apples 50
per cent, in pears "a per cent in plums
so per cent, in nectarines SO per cent.
and in strawberries 80 per cent, not a
fruit in the whole category containing
less than so per cent. The Irresistible
conclusion, considering these facts, is
that fruit plays an important role In
diet as thirst quencher. Certainly
when fruits are freely represented in
the diet less fluid requires to be con-
sumed. and fruits would appear to be
endowed with subtle. inimitable flavor
which is ample inducement to imbibe in
this most wholesome form.
The question so prominent in peoples
thoughts at this not season Of the year
as to what to drink might, therefore,
on sound physiological reasoning, be
answered. eat sound. ripe, juicy fruit. II
is noticeable that as fruit enters into
the diet the indulgence in alcoholic
drinks is diminished. Thus it is most
satisfactory to observe people taking a
good juicy slice of melon as preparatory
to meal instead of sherry and bltters
or a cocktail" This is most COM
J.t> nd he limo
is, dietetically speaking, perfectly RAJ
tional.
The fiavorings OF fruits, altho of little
nutritive value. are undoubted stimu-
lants to the appetite and aids to diges-
ton. Moreover. the Juice of the fresh
cut fruit Is perfectly free from microbes
is as sterile as freshly, clean-drawn
milk, and the fruit acids tend to inhibit
the power of those disease producing
bacteria which flourish in neutral or
alkaline media. The marked anti.scor-
butte properties Of fresh fruit due to the
vegetable acids and their salts in the
juice are of great Importance. For the
most part these acids are combined
with potash and hence free diet of
fruit preserves healthy alkaline condi-
ton of the blood, and there is conse-
quently reduced tendency to the de-
posting OF acids to the tissues.
Peaches and that delicious and deli
cately favored fruit, the nectarine, con-
tain quite small quantity OF sugar and
this coupled with the fact of the tender
ness of their pulp. makes them suitable
for the equity and diabetic. There can
be no doubt that the juice of sound ripe
fruit is an ideal means OF assuaging the
intense thirst OF hot weather-cooling,
refreshing ard OF an agreeable flavor
1t is common experience that the
more person drinks to satisfy the de-
mands of thirst In hot weather the
worse he feels The temptation 10 to
gulp down huge quantities Of huid, with
the result that excessive Precipitation
sets in and a very uncomfortable and
unrelieved feeling follows. On the other
hand, a judcious amount OF sound,
ripe juicy fruit, while containing all
the water necessary to assuage thirst,
would lead to no such distress and
would exercise other healthy effects on
the bodily functions.