New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-04
By ANNE LEWIS PIERCE.
Director OF The Tribune Institute.

c.ol, 1910. ~, 7spre ASSN IN, Ne'c York Tribune
wWvHAT is calorie and why'
M 1t is the amount Of heat needed
W 20 raise one round OF water de-
erees Fahrenheit. Ii is a measure. convenient
for the Gietitan, physician and FOOD chemist,
for expressing the energy or fuel value OF
food
No, content with this proud Office, the cal.
orie has gradually aspiTed to being considered
an sll-rorad measure OF food efficiency whie1
it is not Il has even been proposed that each
can or rackarc Of food should carry state
r,e,t OF its caorie value-a practice sure 10
mislead many.
The poor housckeeper has been OveTshao-
owed by the growing conviction that unless
she knew how many oalorics she brought nome
!, her market basko; chc was not doing her
duty nv her family. But a hope is dawninG
that she may market sanely without the aid OF
the calorineter, the calculating machine or
balance.
WEAK POINTS OF THE GALORE.
There are two flaws in the Pretensions 81
the calor.e. First. different foods meet en-
tirelv different needs in the body pint 81
olive oil for instance would yield in the east
es+ rossible wav days supply OF heat or en-
ergv but it would not 90 single piece OF
repair work or build bit OF tissue or bone
for the growing child, nor would it be piaus-
IDLE DAYS ration. Calore value is only one
side Of the story Of food efficiency, and very
difficult side to calculate al that
Aqain. an ounce OF oil would yield as much
heat IS three pounds OF tomatoes or lettuce OF
asnaragus. but the succulent acid and mineral
bearing vegetables have special function OF
their own. A concentrated food like MILK
chocolate. peanut butter or cheese with
high energy value and also goooly amount
OF building material, needs TO be known Tor
what it is and used in moderation, but to com
rare such foods calorie for calorie with pure
fats and starches which build not at all would
be fatal mistake In other words, man
nav Get his daily ration Of 5000 Galleries and
We. be most ineffcicntly and improperly fed
The overly trusting man who read Uncle
Sans bulletin on the value OF cheese IN the
diet and how it could take the place OF meat
and went out in burst Of enthusiasm to eat
2 mound OF cheese and die martyr to his
convictions. is sad example OF theoretical
knowledge uncontrolled ~ common SCHSo anu
knowledge Of general principles.
SHALL THE MEAL BE WEIGHED OUT?
And after we have looked in the book and
found out lust how much heat value an ounce
Of steak will furnish we must know how many
ounces to serve. in combination with other
foods 10 five-ycar- old Bobby, weighing forty
pounds. who IS growing and playing ball all
over the lot. and to forty-year-old father,
weighing one hundred and seventy-fivc pounds,
who has stopped growing and is sitting at
desk working with his brain and trying to keep
down his weight. Two quite different prob
lens in dietetics.
Visions Of mother at the family table bend
ing distraught over balance weighing out the
ration, instead Of presiding serenely behind
the coffee urn. are about as alluring as fam
ily gathered about a radiator instead OF an
omen fire Such a state OF affairs might check
the flow OF gastric juices and ruin the diges-
ton.
What can we do? Mind you, we are not in
tending 10 obliterate the calore-he is a use
full servant, but a dangerous master We
only want to relegate him to his proper sphere
as a general guide and the trusty lieutenant OF
the doctor and the chemist who can cope with
all his subtetes.
Pin your faith TO the general principles of