New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-04
FOOD VALUE OF RICE.
IT'S HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS.
Races Subsisting on 1t Are Healthy
and Strong.
w

1t has been shown in the preceding chapters That
the researches and tests OF modern science have
established the superiority OF rice over most of the
foods in common in the essentials of nutritive
value healthfuness and cheapness, and in the de-
gree in which it combines with and supplements
other foods. And II may be added that upon none
other could subsist nearly exclusively, and
continuously, without injury to the body either
from failure to supply it with all needed nutri-
ents or-what is quite as bad-from inability to
maintain the appetite. conducive. In fact. so
necessary, to digestion.
That rice does supply needed nutrition one. how
ever. does not have go to the scientist to dis
cover, especially the Tribune reader. who belongs
a. class that is generally travelled. The jinriki-
sha boy Of Japan. the coolie of the Orient. the
negro riceheld hand of the South furnish the EVIL
dence. The first trots untirngly all day long.
drawing loaded vehicle. and the others do the
hardest kind of work in heavy aluvial lands. under
burning suns. and. upon rice diet, keep their
health and strength and-are always hungry; nun
cry with the healthy hunger that not only inVallos
sigh for. particularly in this country, where TOO
concentrated and. therefore, too much food Is con-
sumed. AS Mrs. Knapp. who has been before
quoted, tersey says. Rice eating nations nave
energy. with unmpaired Digestion
III informed writers have undoubtedly done the
cause of rice injury through their support
OF the mistaken and exploded theory that small
stature and little mentality are characteristics OF
races that subsist largely on it, even while they
admit their strength and endurance. Physlca
is the result mainly Of climate and environ
ment- AS to small mental power. well-the ex-
traordinary progress IN brief period of the rice
eating jap Quashes that indictment
1t is rather humiliatins to think that the 1000
consumed by Americans so greatly exceeds thelr
other costs Of living: in other words. that they
through sheer Ignorance, put disproportonate
part of their earnings into their stomachs-and
greatly to the detrment Of those useful organs too
and that a people which, young though 1t is, is
Offering useful lessons In many and valuable
ways TO the whole world should be persstently en-
gagged in robbing their mental powers OK the needed
physical support of healthy oodiesl
They literally should learn TO 'eat to live. IN
stead of living to eat"
Their fine intelligence is employed TO the fullest
to discover the food and the proportions thereof
that will build the bert plant, the finest fowl the
biggest and latest hog. or the most deslrahle
horse and the fuel that will furnish the most heat
10 their habitations. power to their machines at
the least cost: but the mortal tenement which
houses that intelligence, the human machine. which
is its most important agent. why. that really seems
to them little worthy of study. And so they first
vitate the palate and then cater to its morbid APP
petites. regardless alike of the protests OF their
aggrieved systems and OF the exorbitant demands
upon their pecuniary resources.
They should study 10 acquire knowledge OF the
relative values. material for the body's use OF
fish, flesh and fowl Of the various cereals. Of the
different dairy products and Of all the other foods
in common use; should seek TO learn their own
physical requirement as TO the upbuilding and re-
pairing of their bone and muscle blood and tissue.
and to the heating of their bodies and the sup
plying them with power. And they should be able
TO determine as readily in the of their
plant culture. animal breeding. and mechanical ma
chine operating, what food foods, will furnish
the proper material, and in the right proportions.
for either all of their own bodies purposes.
Then would be seen OH the workingman's table
not meat and tread'-lean beef and wheat bread.
the one wholly, and the other largely, a muscle
maker and snew buider-but meat and rice.
which healthily complement each other Then it
would not be only the invalid seeking to restore
abused digestive organs that would choose a diet
of rice but the healthy and strong man. well,
would that invaluable food keep himself
healthy and strong.