Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-18
THE WATER WE EAT.
Bought as Food, II ls a ToIers5ly En-
pensive Luxury.

Bought as Food, Il Is a Tolerl5ly E>-
pensive Luxury.
Bought as food. water Is tolerably
expensive luxury. In several instances
1t cost something like $3.50 a glass,
according to the estimates Of H. ].
Holmes In Pearson's.
Let us begin with breakfast.
Look at that loaf of bread. To all
appearance It Is solid enough. But 1t
Is not. When II came into the hands Of
the baker as wheat flour 1t contained
water only to the extent of II per cent.
In working up the materials into
dough, by kneading and other manipu-
lation and in baking a great change
takes place, and the quantity Of water
has more than doubled. The wheat
flour loaf contains nearly 40 per cent
Of water Curiously enough, its value
as food Is Increased thereby. The per-
centage of water in the crust Is about
half that in the soft inside.
Cured" pork does not contain a
large proportion Of water. In fact,
wherever there Is good deal Of fatty
matter there Is also scarcity Of mois-
ture. So the man who enjoys his slice
Of breakfast bacon may comfort him.
self with the reflection that he Is get
ting fairly solid value for his money
because bacon contains only 22 per
cent of water.
Fresh eggs, on the other hand, are
composed Of no less than 65 per cent
Of water.
The best dairy made butter, no mat
ter how carfully prepared, contains
comparatively large percentage OF wa
ter Out of 500 samples Of butter ex-
amined by we'll known authorities q
small number contained over 16 pei
cent of water. The larger number con
tained between II and 13 per cent
Carlessly manufactured or adulterateo
butter often contains much more wa
ter than is permissible by law, and
the breakfast table may include sup
ply Of butter containing as much as
20 per cent Of water
It is only to be expected that milk
owing to its origin, should vary con-
siderably In its composition. Much de-
pends on the health and surroundings
of the animal yielding 1t.
It Is interesting to know that morn
ing milk as 1t comes from the cow Is
by no means as nourishing as the even
ing supply. There is more water ir
the former. The daily quart Of milk,
even in its purest state. contains ar
average Of S7.6 per cent Of water.
The choicest fish contains the lar.
gest percentage of water. Thus turbo'
and sole are credited with rs pei
cent, salmon rs per cent, while the COM
moner inhabitants Of the deep blue sea
are content with from 40 to go per
cent, as in the case Of the homely her
ring. .... o..
"As cool as a cucumber" Is house
hold term. The GOODNESS Is easily ex'
planned. Cucumbers are almost entire.
| ly composed of water-that Is, vi
per cent, or over IA per cent more than
Is contained In milk, which Is ttsel1
q liquid. Lettuce must not be forgot
ten. Here Is a further instance Of how
| little substance may be In an apparent
solid, for the cabbage lettuce holds
| 92 per cent of water.
It will be seen that most Of the gooc
things Of life are largely composed Of
water, but 1t Is better for Us that this
Is so. Nature knows more about oul
digestive powers than we know our
selves, and she has designed her prod.
ucts-fish, flesh fowl and fruit-witf
so cunning hand that the water con
tained In each Is essential.
| Food containing very little water II
its composition Is not, as q rule, gooc
| to eat until a suitable process of cook
ing has rendered 1t safe by adding
furthur supply Of water to 1t, anc
boiling, as Is we'll known, Is the pro-
cess that renders our food most whole
some and easy Of digestion.