The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-07
some Tigaue-Forming Vegetablea.

The seeds obtained from the class of
vegetable known as the legumes and
embracing peas, beans and lentils, rank
commercially next to the cereals. and
are of great Importance in the vegeta bic
world.
These pod-bearing plants head the
vegetable kingdom, in fact. when re-
garded from a nutritiVe standpoint, they
The chief principal, the tissue forming
essential, is legumin, or vegetable case
in.
These seeds are deficient in fats and
poorer in rnagnesia and phosphates than
the cereals, but richer in salts, especial
" potash and lime. and they contain a
considerable amount of starch.
In fact, in active nutriment. lentils
contain twice the amount secured from
the same weight of wheat But they
never can rank as high as a universal
food product as wheat for various rea-
sons. They are not so delicate in flavor
or so agreeable to the majority of tastes
as the wheat kernels, their lack Of glu-
ten prevents their employment to the
many uses in cookery to which we may
apply the wheat products: also com
bined with the legumin there is a great
deal of sulphur and phosphorus: the
former is apt TO produce hatulence by
forming within the body sulDhretted
hydrogen and similar compounds They
also contain at least per cent of inso-
luble matter. which renders them I'M
sedentary. But for active open air
workers this class of foods will be found
equal to meat in nutritive power. with
out the Objectionable features of the
latter.
Although the legumes are not to be
INDUCED in too freely or immediately
by the shut-in workers. it must not be
understood that they are to be entirely
excluded from their diet. but they
should not be used with other foods in
which the albuminoids also predomin-
ate.
The proper arrangement of diet is to
vary it as much as possible without
mixing too many articles together at
the same meal. Our food must contain
a sufficient quantity of fat, phosphates
and of proteid matter. But in order to
obtain these do not make the mistake of
overlooking. There is more danger of
immediate uDsetting of the digestive
functions by eating excessive quantities
Of starchy food, or too great an amount
of such concentrated foods as the le-
gumes without the corresponding guam
titles of corrective food elements. than
by partalIing too freely of flesh foods
The dietetic blunders are all made for
want of proper understanding of the
nutrient value of vegeta BILE foods which
compare with flesh foods. and wrong
combinations in arranging a feShless
diet. A free use of fruits and veEeta-
bles at the same meal. instead of assoc
ciating fruits and cereals. is common
error which will bring results not con-
ducive TO the adoption of neatless meals.
Starches. the purest and among the
most valuable of our food substances,
have come under the ban simply by
reason of a misconc4ption of their ma
ture and intended purpose; combined
with bad cooking, and because by the
abuse, the thoughtless have brought
upon themselves severe attacks Of fer
mentation and dyspepsia, so they form
/ the conclusion that "starchy foods do
not agree with them" The fact is, ma
4 ture IS sure to punish every offender
who disturbs her grand equilibrium.
Lack of nutrition and nervous pros
I traitor are quite as likely to occur from
T preposterous over eating as under feed
/ ing. In fact fewer persons suffer from
4 i'll effects from eating too little than
they do from the habit of eating too