The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-09-23
q AS 4 FOOD.
The Hunger for Candy . Natural
cravins-Sweets Regarded az

From the literary Digest.

From the Literary ige
It nay be said that sugar has not
generally been taken seriously IS q
food substance. Apparently on the
principle that what is liked is usually
injurious, the passionate craving for
sugar seems to have been regarded as
a sign that It should be avoided. When
the craving was satisfied 1t was done
by eating the sugar to excess and the
logical result was looked upon as q
confirmation OF the Injurious charac-
ter of the food. Recently, however, the
food value OF the substance has come
to be recognized by scientific men, and
a writer in the Dietetic and Hygienio
Gazette urges that we cease regarding
1t rs a luxury ard use 1t seriously In
proper quantities. We read:
Sugar as a substance marketed in
approximately chemically pure form is
a comparatively recent addition to hu-
mar foodstuffs. Indeed, IL Is probable
that maple sugar was used by the
American a~borigines earlier than any
sugar OF the same grade was known to
the Inhabitants Of the old world.
We have not yet become accustomed
To taking sugar seriously as q food, but
persist In regarding IL as q luxury
which appeals to the palate. Undoubt-
eddy a good deal Of the sugar consumed
Is taken by those who need 1t least and
who are least able to assimilate II. PEG.
pie in fair circumstances, not exercis-
ing much, generally use 130-150 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 re-
garded as a food. Yet, not ~infrequent-
ly, q pound q day Is eaten, thus supply
ing a source Of energy equal to that re-
quired by the system, supplementary to
that eaten at h table. There is no
question but that ingested In
considerable amounts at one time irri-
tates the mucous membrane by its con-
c~entration; disturbs osmotic currents:
tends to ferment and overtaxes the gy-
colytic and glycogenic functions.
ION the other hand, It has been well
established that IL used nationally an
regularly, sugar is easily cared for by
the nutritiye organs, produces no harm
full results, and supplies q large amount
OF heat and energy. A good deal IL not
the most of the trouble produced by
sugar Is due to the notion that 1t is not
q food, but a luxury. Hence, the per-
fectly natural appetite for II Is resisted
until IL becomes a craving TO which the
individual eventually yields by q die
tetic excess which deserves b term
spree The same abstinence and ex-
cessive ingestion Of any other food, be-
tween meals and in addition to a full
diet, would produce harm"
At the present retail price OF about
SIS cents a pound, the author goes on to
say, the average consumption Of sugar
represents about IN cents a day. II
other food were equally cheap, the total
daily cost OF raw food material would
be So to TO cents per capita. In gen
eral, sugar is less expensive to prepare
for eating than most other foodstufrs.
Says the writer:
gwen the hlgner grades OF candy
could be prepared with no greater trou-
BILE than many other recognized des-
serts, IL cooks, took the trouble to learn
this branch of their art, while the re-
suit would be, on the average, more ap-
petizing, more easily digestible, and
more nutritious. This point in dietetic
economies has recently been impressed
on us by inspecting the extremely sim
pie equipment of a candy kitchen,
whose output is retailed at 80 cents a
pound, including considerable paper"