The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-15

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pany, Chicago.
The Food Value of Prunes.
We are accustomed to rank all fruits
as non-essentials among the necessary
foods. The cost of fresh fruits prohibits
their very general use, except for a
and very plentiful. A certain class of
fruits in common use on our tables
contain but little nOurishment al
though they play an important part in
sustaining life in a normal condition,
by supplying certain qualities that pro
duce most beneficial results when they
are eaten in proper amount, condition
and combination.
THE ACID FRUITS
Acidulous, juicy fruits are depended
on more for their refreshing properties,
and to give tone to the system by sup
plying a variety of agreeable acids and
large am cunt of water, than for nutri-
menr.
THE MORE NUTRITIOUS FRUITS.
But we have another class of fruits
which yield a very considerable amount
hcious flavor and tonic or diuretic quail
tiles
Chief among these is the prune, and a
homegrown product. This fruit has
not, until recently, had the recognition
it so richly deserves. 1t is in truth one
of our most useful and valuable fruits,
and should be regarded, not only as an
agreeable addition to our dietary, but
in the light of a food sufficiently rich
in nutrient qualities to substitute
meats, and many of the more indigest-
ib1e foods, more frequently.
The cheapness of the home-raised
fruit places it within the means of all.
and it is grievous error that all
classes do not or cannot eat a greater
amount of this fruit, especially the eat
ers of strong. hearty foods, and those
who live inactive lives.
SATISFYING AS WELL AS SUS-
TANNING.
There is no other fruit that will so
completely satisfy hunger when eaten
alone: and with cereals, milk. cream or
eggs they furnish sufficiently nourish-
ing dish for meal; and they are ideal
as a relish for farinaceous foods. One
difficulty lies in the fact that SO few
understand the natural design of this
fruit and consider it only in the light
of a sweetmeat. therefore compound it
only in rich desserts, CON potes and such
dishes as soon cloy the taste and sur
felt the eater.
The proverbial boarding house prune-
owes its bad reputation to careless
cooking and inferior quality of fruit Sc
lected; it must be remembered that
there are prunes and prunes.
When you wish to serve prunes with
a meal that consists of other articles OF
diet very rich and sustaining in their
nature, the prunes should be prepared
IN the simplest manner possible
1t is the excess of concentrated food
that proves injurious, therefore study
combinations more carefully.
If those who consider their dinners
incomplete without desserts would con-
tent themselves with such dishes as can
be easily and simply made of prunes
and othe fruits, they would save them
selves much toll and worry which they
expend in creating a combination that
is a menace to the digestion of the
heartiest eater.
HOW PRUNE.S MAY BE USED.
Prunes are available not only in the
lighter dishes, but must be regarded
among the essentials As a meat sub
stitute. the delicate eater whose Ape
tite must be coaxed for breakfast, would
find a dish of well cooked cereal and
prunes an inviting as well as sustaining
dish and quite hearty enough to consti-
tute the entire meal. An egg or whip
ped cream might be added to the bill of
fare if needfu1 to complete this early
morning reDast-
PRUNEsS SHOULD NOT BE SWEET
ENED.
Sugar added to the prunes is superfiu-
Gus and harmful, as nature has provid-
ed the fruit with sufficient natural
sweetness, which the sun, during the rip
ening process, converts into a sugar
suitable to be taken into the system.
The finest variety of prunes need no en-
bellishment in this way, as this natural
sugar is quite sufficient to make the
cooked fruit palatable to the normal
taste.
The finer prunes are often eaten raw;