The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-31

protcids than lean meat and that
proteids are a necessary Ingredient
of food 1t Is also true that only a
comparatively small proportion of pro.
vegetable foods contain some protcids.
and some contain as large or larger
proportion than is needed. so that a
meatless diet may furnish all the pro.
teids needed by the body.
In considering what Is a proper diet
1t should be kept in mind that what the
body needs most of is the energy and
heat producing ingredient, which is
Much less material Cproteids) is re
CURED to repair the waste OF the
human machine, or OF any machine.
than is required (of carbohydrates and
fats) to furnish energy and heat, that
is power. When the food contains a.
larger proportion of proteids than is
needed as that in which meat is {
large item. part of this ingredient Is
used as fuel to supply energy and
heat. which is not its proper function.
More healthful and far more econom-
zeal is the diet which provides sutfi-
cient energy-yielding ingredient to fur
nish the body with the necessary
energy. and heat. and the small guam
tity of protein in addition that is
needed for Its proper function of tbs.
sue-building. The quantity of proteids
need be but small If enough of the
energy-yielding ingredient is furnished
heat. Wheat bread contains Just about
the proper proportions of proteids and
carbohydrates, or of building
and energy-yielding ingredients. so /
would seem that a man would be fur
nished proper nourishment by a diet
consisting chiefly of bread. Oatmeal
contains more than the necessary pro-
portion of proteids. and beans and
portion. a diet. consisting largely of
these common and cheap foods should
furnish an amount of proteids sutfi-
Gent for the needs of any man.
We Americans eat largely of meat
because we like 1t, and not because
we need IT. Vegetarians in large num-
bers have demonstrated that man may
keep we'll and strong and live TO old
age on meatless diet. But II is con-
tended that ve2etarians have been men
OF sedentary habits. that the case is
different with men engaged in hard,
manual labor. and that the latter need
meat for proper nutrition. 1t is OBJ
viously true that the harder the mus
cular work a man engages in, the more
food he needs to furnish energy and
heat and repair the waste, but does he
crease of energy-yielding food than oil
food for repairing waste? It occurred
to me that this was the case. A ma
chine doing more work. within its ca
pacfty. requires greater proportions
ate increase in power than in repairs.
And / find that at least one authority
on nutrition in a dietary standard
shows that smaller (sightly 500 pro
portion of proteids is needed in the
diet of man doing hard and very
hard muscular work than in that of
one of sedentary habits or one engaged
in light muscular work. This indi-
Gates that about the same diet will
furnish proper nutrition for men en-
gagged in light Or hard work, though
the quantity of food needed Will, OIL
course. vary. That is, the man engaged
In hard labor does not need greater
proportion of proteids in his food,
which is the ingredient that meat sup
plies in large proportion. In further
support of this view l may state that
it has been found that not meat, but
sugar (energy-yielding) is the food
best adapted for an addition to the
diet TO strengthen and refresh
quietly those undergoing exhaustive
physical exertions. Il. a. S.
Richmond, January IS.