The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-26
WHY A VARIETY OF FOODS?
BY Scale HARRIS. M. d.

l X
| T. Rw people ever stop to consider
| lT' why we eat. If group of persons
were asked the question, why
| do you eat?" some would reply I'VE eat
because we have the appetite, because
we want to-" but that is not always
true, since all persons have not the de-
sire for food Others would say, I'VE
eat to live which is one of the reasons
for taking food; and still others will ac-
cuse their friends of living to eat"
1t is surely true that many persons be-
lieve more in food consumption than
In food conservation"
If all people understood why we eat,
| and if they knew some of the simple
facts regarding nutrition and the phys-
ology of digestion they would see the
harmfulness of overeating, as well as
the dangers from not eating enough of
the various kinds of foods. They then
would eat nationally and the problem
of the conservation of our food supply
would be an easy one.
The real necessity for eating comes
from the fact that each hour, each mo-
ment. there are structural changes 60
ing on in the body for which certain
kinds of foods are required. With every
movement of each muscle, each task
that is done, each meal that Is digested,
each letter that is written, or with any
other mental or physical exertion, there
is oxidation of material in the body and
changes of structure in the tissues, for
which certain foods are required. Then,
too, the human body must be kept at the
same temperature winter and summer,
and fuel is required to furnish the heat.
If food is not furnished for combustion
and transformation into energy, the fat
and muscles of the body are oxidized;
so that in starvation there is loss of
flesh because from lack of food the It's
sues have been burned.
There is an old saying that the
human body renews itself every seven
years. but this is not true because the
superficial cells of the skin and those OF
the tongue are renewed daily, while the
enamel Of the teeth and the hard bones
may not be changed during adult life.
Psychologists say that 1--WE die as we
live" and food is needed to make new
cells and tissues to take the place OF
those that disintegrate and that are con-
stantly being thrown off by the body.
If one would understand how food Is
changed into muscle, bone, fat and en-
| ergy and know what articles of nutrition
| are required to maintain mental activity
and bodily vigor to the normal, he must
know something of the different kinds of
| foods, and the part they play in nutri-
| ton Besides we see so much in the pa
| pers and in the magazines about pro-
teins, carbohydrates, hydrocarbons and
| Galleries, which are rapidly becoming
! household words"-as they ought to be-
that unless one learns about them he is
| really behind the times.
CLASSIFICATION OF FOODS.
| Foods are ordinarily divided into four
groups, viz:
| First-Proteins, or albumins, which are
also called heterogeneous foods, because
the important element in them is nitro
| gen. Protein may be of animal or vege-
| table origin. Examples of animal foods
having a large protein content are beef.
pork, mutton, fowl, fish. eggs, milk,
cheese, etc. The vegetables having q
| large proportion Of protein content
| sometimes called the vegetable proteins,
and which may be substituted for meats,
| are principally the legumes Oceans, peas,
| lentils, cowpeas and peanuts). Pecans
and other nuts contain large proper
| ton Of protein.
The proteins are necessary for muscle
making and for the renewal or repair
of other tissues, but they may also be
utilized for energy. The growing child,
| therefore, requires a larger proportion
of protein than an adult. The protein in
milk is particularly adapted to children.
The infant grows on milk alone, and milk
should be an important part Of the diet
for a child up to 10 years of age. The
/ active young adult needs more protein
than a person of middle or advanced age.
If we would live long and efficient lives,
after the age of 40 we should begin to
cut down the proteins in our diet.
Second-Carbohydrat This impor-
tant group of foods contain carbon. n.y.
drogen and oxygen. They are burned In
the tissues and they store up energy for
muscular exertion and for the perform
ance of the functions of every organ In
the body. In producing energy they also
produce heat. Carbohydrates are sub
} divided into starches and sugars.
Foods containing large proportion Of
starch are cereals (wheat, corn. rice
oats rye, and barley. Many persons
in speaking Of cereals, refer to breakfast
foods which are usually made of wheat
and corn and have been so widely ad-
vertised that they are part Of the
morning meal for the most people; but
breads, pastry. cakes are really cerea
foods Potatoes. both the white drish)