Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-04

tritve material in the medium that surrounds them
What is food? food is a substance that is digest
bic and nonpolsonouS, which can be aSslnllated and
furnish either energy or building material tor the body
Even after the body has matured building material IS
still required to replace cells that constantly being
destroyed or broken down, and, SO long life lasts,
fuel food is required for the production of energy The
principal structures of the body composed Of very
complex substances containing nitrogen, and termed
proteids. certain amount of fat which is composed
Of carbon hydrogen, and oxygen is also present the
bones, and forms cushion and support for various
organs and tissues notably the sn thus softenng the
lines of the human form Water cases. salts iron and
certain complex organic compounds complete the con-
stituton of the body
Now you can no more build repair proteid tissue
with bricks of fat sugar, salts than you build
granite mansion with straw. Food must bring to the
body only the elements that enter into its structure
but in such form that they will reach their destination
and fit in where they belong. The bodily activities,
muscular glandular, and mental, involve
pendture of energy, and in place that know OF
the universe energy be created de 1t must
always arise from some other source OF energy. Some
thing must be burned, or the engine will not work
We find therefore, that foods may be CLASSIFIED as
follows:
INORGANIC. Water and salts; for chemical processes
ORGANIC. (a) Carbonaceous- sugars, starches Ice
reals, vegetables and fats, for energy and padding
proteid constituents of milk and certain vegetables
(peas BEANS entils) for building repair and energy.
Now, the fact that Pythagoras and Rousseau were
is IL does duQ
to our exact knowledge of foodstufs little study Of
the chemical needs of the body and the chemical con-
stituents Of foodstus, shows the folly Of drawing
sharp line between animal and vegetable foods. The
points to be decided in selecting a diet
D Digestibilty. 2) Availability for energy,
growth or repair 3) Cost. It is important to know
not whether food is animal vegetable but how
much proteid fats, starch salts etc. getting
in digestble and assmilable form.
Thin people lose heat rapidly owing to the large
face exposed in proportion to the bodily weight and
CarbOnaCeOuS
cereals, and vegetables, especially if much muscular
work is done On the contrary, tat people, who do not
lose heat readily and overburdened with the prod
ucts of carbonaceous feeding should limit these food
stufs in their diet Proteid foods may also be utilized
for heat production and energy; but not readily
the carbonaceous foods.
Digestion of the starchy foodstuffs begins in the
mouth About thirty thousand years ago, before man
learned the of cultivation, starchy foods doubt
less thoroughly chewed and digested in the mouth
ing their tough fiber and the absolute necessity of
grinding them thoroughly
The soft vegetable foods that now lur-
riedly swallowed and land in stomach absolutely de
void of stach-dgesting facilities there to remain und
gested until passed into the nestnes where starch d
gestion is resumed. Man has survived this tax his
adapabilty he has survived many Others; but that
expensive habit. BY thoroughly chewing the starchy
foods, they not only well dgested and prevented
from burdening the stomach, but the of chew
ing combined with the and thought of food,
flow of digestive secretlons IN the stomach, termed by
Pawlow the appetite juice.
Fletcherism and Instructive Eating
DAWLOW and others have demonstrated that the
pleasant anticipation of food excites the flow of