Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-31
SUGAR As FOOD SUBSTANCE
HUNGER FOR CANDY A NAT
URAL CRAVING.
Sweets of Cane and Beet Regarded
as a Luxury That Appeals to
the Palate.

From the Literary Digest.
II NAV be said that sugar has no, gen
orally been taken seriously as food sub
stance Apparently on the principle that
what is liked is usually injurious. the
passionate craving for sugar seems 10
have been regarded as sign mat IL
should be avoided When the craving
was satisfied il was done by eating the
sugar to excess and the logical result
was looked upon as a confirmation of the
injurious character of the food. Recent
". however, tire food value of enc sub
stance has come to be recognized by
scientific men, and a writer IN the Dietetlc
and Hvsienic Gazette drges that we cease
regarding il as a luxury and use it seri-
ously in proper quantities. We read:
Indians and Maple Sugar.
Sugar as a substance marketed in APP
proxnately chemically pure form is a
comparatively recent addition to human
foodsruffs Indeed it is probable that
maple sugar was used by the American
aboriGines earlier than amy sugar of the
same grade was known TO the inhabitants
of the old world.
I'VE have not Yet become accustomed
to taking sugar seriously as a food but
persist in regarding IT as luxury which
appeals TO the palate. Undoubtedly a
good deal of the sugar consumed is taken
by those who need it least and who are
least able to asSimilate II. People In fair
circumstances. not exercising much. gem
orally use 13U-1U grams a day. estimated
from grocery bills. to say nothing of the
sugar of fruits and that eaten as candy.
Candy is usually eaten between meals,
and is not regarded food. Yet,
not infrequentiy, pound day Is eaten.
thus supplying source of energy equal
to that required by the system. supple
mentary to that eaten at the table. There
is no question but that sugar ingested
in considerable amounts at one time IT.
ritateS the mucous membrane by its con-
centration; disturbs osmotic currents:
tends TO ferment and overtaxes the gly-
colytic and glycogenic functions
Supplies Heat anu Energy.
.On the other hand it has been well
established that if used nationally and
regularly, sugar is easily cared for by
the nutritive organs. produces no harm
full results. and supplies large amount
of heat and energy. A good deal if not
the most of the trouble produced by
sugar is due to the notion that it Is not
food but a luxury. Hence. the per-
fectly natural appetite for it is resisted
until ii becomes craving to which the
individual eventually yields by dietetic
excess which deserves the term spree.
The same abstinence and excessive in
gestion of any other food. between meals
and in addition to full diet, would pro-
duce harm.
Al the present retail price Of about %
cents pound the author goes to say,
the average consumption of sugar repre-
Sents about Ia cents q day. If olher
food were equally cheap. the total daily
cost OF raw food material would be g. 70
10 cents per capita. III general, sugar
Is less expensive 10 prepare for eating
than most other fooGstuffs. Says the
writer:
Even the higher grades OF candy could
be prepared with greater trouble than
many other recognized desserts. # cooks
took the trouble to learn this branch of
their art, while the result would be, on
the average. more appetlZ!ng more easily
liges1ibe and more nutritious. This
point in dietetic economies has recently
been impressed on us by inspecting the ex-
tremely simple equipment of candy
kitchen, whose output is retailed So
cents a pound. including considerable pa
per.