The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-22
FAT Is BAD FOR
HEALTH; AMERICA
USES MORE Than
OTHER NATIONS
So Declares Prof. G.. S.
Henry in Address at
Fargo College
DISCUSSES DIET AND
FOOD CONSERVATION
Address is Fourth of a Ser
les of Lectures on
Same Subject
DISCUSSES DIET AND
FOOD CONSERVATION

An excess Of fat in food leads t,
indigestion, binders normal growtI
in children, Injuries the health o
adults and the repair Of tissue afte
wounds; yet America uses more IA
than any other nation, according t
Prof. @. r. Henry, head Of the de-
partment OF chemistry at Fargo col
Iege. who delivered the fourth or
series of addresses on adequate die
and food conservation before stu
dents at the chapel hour.
In full, Professor Henry said:
The public is being urged to elm
mate waste and conserve certain
foods by substituting others fol
them. In order 10 conserve wisely
and maintain bodily efficiency, IL II
necessary for one to know something
about the essentials Of an adequate
diet. An adequate amount Of
wholesome food does not necessarily
mean the maiptenance OF bodily ef'
nciency. The poor people OF tbs
sputh have enough wholesome food
10 satisfy their hunger, yet suneE
from Pellagra, a disease OF malnutri'
ton. Their food consists OF corn
and other starehy foods. sugar and
syrup, pork and cabbage, an unoaI-
anced diet. When the japanese
soldiers were fed on polished rice
thev were afflicted with beriberi
another disease Of malnutrition. The
covering Of the rice contains sub
stance. vitamine, which Is necessary
10 the proper functioning OF the
body. The people of the east are not
affected by beriberi when they eat
unpublished rice.
An ideal diet must supply the
proper amount of substances TO
meet the bodily requirements for
building and repair. for energy
and for maintaining the normal
bodily functioning. Except in
the case OF people whose diet Is
. exclusively meat, experience has
caused men to believe mixed
diet necessary to health. Re-
cent research has confirmed this
conclusion and provided an eX-
PLANTATION for the things which
had been learned by experience.
Four Factors In Diet. .
In planning q diet, four principal
factors must be taken into considera-
ton. These are:
nitrogen are cIassed as protein foods.
They include meat, eggs. milk, wheat,
corn, oats, rye, beans and other
Tegumes. Root vegetables are very
low in protein but contain a high
percentage of starch. The nitrogen
ID proteins is combined in about is
different ways, all Of which are
necessary for the proper nourishment
OF the human body. Meat, milk and
eggs contain all these various nitro
gen gscompounds, hence. are essen
tial to an adequate diet. The cereals
and beans do not contain all the
nitrogen compounds, and are called
proteins Of poor quality. As far as
their protein is concerned, rye, oats,
and corn may be substituted for
wheat without any detriment to the
protein requirements of the body.
The body requires not more than
three and a half ounces OF protein
per day. Some authorities would
place 1t as low as two ounces. About
one-third OF this should come from
meat, milk, fish anad eggs; another
third from cereals and the remain
DER from vegetables, 1. Q. roots,
beans and other legumes and green
vegetables. Lean meats runs from
rs to 20 per cent protein, vegetables
from / TO per cent, eggs, Is per
cent; dried beans, is to 20 per cent;
cereals, to Is per cent, with oat-
meal running TO 1s per cent, and
nuts from 20 to % per cent. As a
matter Of fact, Americans largely
exceed their protein requirements
and can materially reduce the
amount OF meat proteins consumed
Without any detriment.
Man Needs 5000 Heat Units.
Energy. A careful study Of the
diets Of laboring men in various parts
Of the world indicates that the av-
erage man requires about 5000 heat
units or calories per day to supply
the required energy. An ounce OF
sugar and Of the various cereals
dry, or one and one-third in bread,
two ounces Of lean meat or four OF
fsh, five OF milk, 40 Of potato or a
half ounce Of butter will furnish 100
heat units. As In the case OF the
proteins, we find that the cereals
can be substituted for each other as
sources OF energy without any loss.
AS sources of energy. meat, milk and
Ush are expensive when compared
with the cereals. While the substi-
tuition OF cereals for brea may not
mean any saving in the high cost of
living, the substitution Of more cere-
ais and vegetables for meat as a
source OF energy will undoubtedly
mean a saving in living expenses.
Sugar furnishes a source of energy
that is easily digested and utilized.
Fats for their weight furnish more
energy than any other food sub
stance. We have two classes OF fats,
animal and vegetable fats. Through
chemical processes cottonseed oil
can be converted into oils which are
similar in composition to animal fats
and Is used in lard substitutes and
oleomargarine. These are ali per-
feetly wholesome and may be used
to replace lard and butter to a limit
ed extent only. Peanut butter may
also be used instead of butter. While
these substitutions are legitimate
there Is q limit beyond which it Is
not safe to 60. The animal fats con-
tain certain substances, called Vita
mines, which are essential to growth.
Io maintain normal body function
ing, an adult person requires is to %
ounces OF animal fats.
Minerals Are Necessary.
Mineral substances. An adequate
diet must contain a suitable amount
6f mineral substances. Green plants
kank high in mineral content and
heir use should be encouraged be-
gause Of their high dietary value.
Cereals are also important sources
"a mineral substances.
Vitamines. Vitamines are sub
Ftance whose nature Is unknown hut
IRE Of vital Importance in diet. They
rall into two classes, those soluble in
water and those soluble in fat. Those
soluble in water are essential to the
proper functionfng OF the body They
are found IN most foods, but not In
POLISHED rice, starch, sugar or fats.
Their absence In the case Of Japan
ese soldiers caused beriberi. TIM
wffamines soluble in fat are found in
green leaves and vegetables, meat,
ailk. eggs and animal fats. They
Are not found ia vegetable oils and
erm anwn e. 4hn earn THE sfsfa.