Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-12-13

activities, foods that will furnish ener-
gy for body heat and work. The po-
tato contains over per cent Of mus
cle-building material, over IS per cent
OF starch which is one Of the best OF
sources Of energy for the body, and
it Is rich in mineral matter, the potash
salts, which are so necessary for reg
ulating body activities and keeping
the blood alkaline.
In the diet, therefore, of the Ameri
can people, the potato will give not
only the starch for which it is deServ
edly popular, but it is also a very val
liable food in keeping the body tissues
in a state Of growth and repair. How
nearly perfect the muscle-building ma
terial is may be understood when We
say that beef ranks first milk second
and potatoes fourth in the line; that
the muScle-buiIding material of bread
has just one-half the value Of that Of
the potato. The mineral matter in
the potato balances the mineral mat
ter found in other foods, such as eggs
and meat, and enriches the value Of
the cereals.
Therefore, if the potato is used with
the food products from the grains. it
tends to improve their muscle-building
power. If it is used with milk, it
gives almost Il balanced ration. When
it is used with grains not in them
selves perfect foods and with milk
which is Il food rich in muScle-build
/,
salts, We have Il more nearly perfect
ration.
Hence, III substituting the potato
for white bread we have better type
of muScle-buildng material, mineral
salts which are more necessary in reg
ulating the condition Of the blood, and
starch which although less in amount
is of equal value to the starch in the
wheat flour.
In comparing the value Of the pota
to with wheat bread one three ounce
potato approximately five potatoes to
the pound, or 320 potatoes to the bush
eD will be equal to two slices of
white flour bread. This means that
30 ounces Oh potato Or 10 medium
sized potatoes will be equal to one
pound Of bread, or one buShel Of pO
tatOCS viii be equal in food value and
muscle-bUilding power and heat Civ
ing power TO 81 lOaveS of white bread.
At the present price Of potatoes, there
fore, they are cheaper than bread at
five cents a pound loaf, and as far as
food value is concerned they may be
absolutely exchanged for the bread in
the use in the body.
Germany has long recognized the
value Of the potato in the diet, and
even today with the restricted food
allotment under their drastic weekly
ration, they have allotted 2S potatoes
per person per week, or four Il day.
For the sections in Belgium and north
ern France, they have reduced the al
1OtmCnt TO II potatoes q week. They
are feeding their people on what is
practically ono-half Of their normal
standard of heat units. They have re
duced the amount of fat in the diet,
and the amount of cereals has been
seriously cut. They are giving Oily
they are using more potato per indi-
Vidual than we III America, where we
have an abundance. are using. Be
cause of the wisdom in the use of The
potato, in which the food value an
SWCrS on three counts, muScle-builG
ing. mineral matter than regulates the
body and heat giving power, they are
able to hold ont under the present re-
duced amount of food which they are
using.
a list of food for which we substi-
tutc the three ounce potato may make
our patriotic duty to save wheat Il
little bit more easy. One such baked
potato may be substituted for one bak-
ing-powdcr biscuit, thus saving meat;
two slices of white bread. thus saving
wheat; four to six crackers thus saw
ing wheat; enc small muffin, thus saw
ing wheat: one dOughnut, thus saving
wheat: four cookies, thus saving
wheat; one shredded wheat biscuit.
thus saving wheat. If we serve rotA-
to, in. some form at every meal rCduc-
ing the use of the bread made from
wheat flour. we would be giving to the
people of this country better bal
anced diet other things considered,
than we are now using. With our eX-
ceSSive amount of wheat bread.
We should remember that i'll the
process of cooking, we may careleSSly
throw away an undue amount OF the
very valuable muScle-huilding power
of the potato. For example, peeling
The potato and allowing it to stand for
Il long time in water before cooking
will waste One-fourth of this valuable
muscle-building product. Putting the
peeled potatoes into cold water and
bringing them quickly to the boiling
point will waste One-SiXth Of this mus
-cle-building food. Even peeling and
putting them into boiling water and
cooking quickly will waste one-twelfth
of the muscle-building power of the
Il l. IL.