The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-11-08

but little, indeed, above that of the
watermelon. The warm contents of
fresh fruits vary, for example, from
20 In the banana to 90 in the water
melon. Few fruits contain more than
!l-2 percent OF proteine, which Is poor
IN the apple and the peach. while the
sugar and similar carbohydrates are
richest in the banana among fruits
Known IN this country, the pear, the
CHERRY. the grape and the apple, the
last named containing some 1S per
cent. while the banana contains 81
per cent.
n change takes place in the relative
proportions of feeding matter, and wa
ter when fruit Is dried. Here the pear
takes precedence of the apple and the
banana. The remark equally applies
to the raspberry. the raisin and the
ns. The raisin, for example, con-
tatns q per cent of carbohydrates,
against 55 In the banana and GO in the
apple, but 1t is closely approached by
the Zante currant and the prune. Yet
IN almost all cases dried fruits are
poor IN prOteine. or muscle making
matter. the apple standing at l 1-2. the
banana Ia, the pear 2 3-4, the raisin
and the currant 21-2 and the rasp-
berry IL, the last named when dried
containing very small quantity of
water. In the apple, which is so often
regarded as a model fruit, Is per cent
Is refuse. while IS per cent of the
edible portion consists of water; but
the banana. rightly considered as a
useful food. contains IS per cent of
refuse.
The composition of fruits changes
with their growth. and as they ripen
under storage. the ripe fruits contain
ing less acid and more sugar. hence
the importance of ripeness in the cider
apple and a high sugar percentage.
The digestion OF ripe fruit is easier,
no doubt. owing to the fact that the
less dtgestible starch has been entire
~ changed into sugar. Where fruit
has been entirely relied upon for
diet. as In several series of American
experiments. nuts furnished the pro-
teine. olives the oil, the fruits proper,
beth fresh and dried, the chief carbo-
hydrates, SO that even in this class of
food mixed diet Is essential AS re-
CARDS digestion, 1t was found in thirty
experiments with men that Sc per cent
of the fat, as per cent Of the proteine
and IS per cent of the carbohydrates
were digested when the food consisted
of fruit and nuts, the result being but
little inferior to the digestive percent
age in ninety-three experiments with
men fed upon an ordinary mixed diet.
Although ripe fruits are thoroughly
digested-sweet apples in one test TAX
ing one and a half hours when I'M
cooked. sour apples requiring two
hours-the acids present in these as
in other fruits frequently affect per-
sons OF weak digestion or those to
whom acids are troublesome. The
flesh of fruit being more 7easinly dealt
with by the. digestive juices when
cooked, suggests the importance of
cooking and Of good cooking. But the
cooking of fruit removes a portion of
the sugar-nearly five per cent in APP
pies. for example, and seven per cent
in peaches; hence the value Of the
juice. Again, the employment Of fruit
on the table. when combined, as in
buildings and tarts, with flour, fat or
milk, increases tn food value Of the
dish. inasmuch as these materials sup
ply the proteine and the fat in which
fruit Is deficient.-James Long, In The
Manchester Gardener.