Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-09
WHY DO WE USE coND1MDNTs9

| I !. While 1t cannot be said that the use of condiments in the daily dietary has found complete chemical or physi. ological explanation yet 1t is, of course,
 broadly known that in many cases they
 are essential constituents, for they i'm
 prove the flavor of more or less taste
 less foods and. indeed, promote diges- ton by exciting the flow of various dt-
 gestive secretions. Flavor is undoubt-
 edly great promoter of digestive sue
 cess. It is not quite clear, however.
 why, for example, person takes mus
 tard with ham, pork or beef and not
 with mutton; vinegar with salad or
 lobster and not with ham or other
 foods. Ill generalizing, however, 1t
 would appear that condiments are
 chosen to accompany those foods
 which are less digestible or which are
 richer than others. Mutton, for exam
 pie, is more digestible than beef, pork
 or duck and it is to these three that
 mustard is generally added Vinegar.
 again, is known to soften the hard
 fibre of both meat and vegetables,
 hence it probably renders such foods
 as crab, lobster, salmon. salads, red
 cabbage and walnuts less tough and
 more digestible. Vinegar in dressing
 and sauces probably has similar ac. ton.
 As rule the increased amount of soluble or attractive matters in a food is in direct relation to its digestibility and nourishing value, not that the ex- tractive principles are in themselves nourishing, but because they are appe- tizing and promote the flow of digestive juices. To the man with robust appe- tite the presence of tasty extractive or the use of condiments is probably SUI perfiuOuS. Bread and cheese and beer form most enjoyable meal after brisk exercise in the open country air, but during sedentary occupation very little relish is experienced for such simple repast. Hunger is the best sauce, but failing hunger the appetite must be coaxed and here in lies the true uses of sauces, condiments and other aids.
 The abuse of condiments has its at- tendant evils. The excessive use of vinegar is calculated to lead to an condition, while 1t has an un- favorable influence on gout. Some silly women take vinegar to produce a pale complexion. Similarly, free indulgence in pepper or mustard, which are both irritants, is likely to have an effect upon the organs of se- cretion. On the other hand, their mod crate indulgence promotes digestion for they act as carminatives Highly savory dishes are incompatible with good digestion and the prevailing pre- ference for literally garnished mess es'' instead of plain, simple food is to be deplored. The habit of partakins of highly seasoned food accounts very largely for the decline ill the cOnsump- ton of light elegant wines of the claret type. The bouquet and flavor of a del cate wine are completely spoiled by 'ich tasting sauces or spices.
 Salt is perhaps the commOnest condi. i nent of all and yet man practically ! stands alone amongst animals as 9 'egular consumer of it in the more or I ess pure state and as definite adjunct [ o his food. Salt is present in most ,oods, but the amount in the majority If cases would not appear to satisfy i mans need or he would not fnstinctive- y add more. Moreover, salt may not | exist in the free state of | oods or natural origin, but may be loosely combined with organic con 'tituents. There can be little douht hat salt plays a greater part than that If a mere condiment in the body, for il l possesses solvent powers which, be- tides drawing out'' the flavor of food. acilitate the absorption more partic,l- arly of proteids and thus increase tis- ue metabolism. The pleasures of feed ng would be very decidedly dimin- shed if s.lt and condiments were ban shed from our tables. It is note worthy, moreover, that amongst condi- nents, most of them, whilst favoring igestive processes, are antiseptic, so hat their action tends to counteract ny disposition to undesirable fermen-