Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-03
WHAT THE BODY NEEDS.

WHAT THE BODY NEEDS.
Our bodies are rather complicated ma
chimes and require quite a variety Of
foods in order to keep them working
most efficiently. There is, of course. a
constant attrition Coins on in the body
waste material being produced and elm
mated, and hence there must be an IN
take of certain essential elements in or
der to keep the machine in thorough re-
pair and capable of doing efficient work
To this end three classes of food are
necessary to the proper nutrition of the
human body. The first of these is that
class Of food which builds muscles and
tissues and so keep the body together
The muscles give support TO the skele-
ton which makes locomotion possible
They hold together the honey structure
and enable us to use the body for move
ment in order that they may carry the
load required of them, and the muscles
must be well nourished in order to pos
sess q SUFFICIENT degree of elasticity 10
give facility and buoyancy to the move
ments Of the body. When one has been
i'll for a long time the muscles often
become soft and fabby and it is difficult
even to walk until the muscles are re-
built and strengthened through the as
simiIation of large quantities of rela-
lively highly concentrated and nourish-
ing foods In the same way the bones
of the body may become soft and fragile
through a failure to consume sufhclent
quantities of mineral matter by reason
of too restricted a diet or because OF
some form Of malnutrition. therefore,
those foods which enter into the sup
port. development and maintenance OF
the muscles and tissues of the BODY are
very essential to the well being of the
human family.
In addition, there is a great class of
food taken into the body which IS
chiefly useful for the production of en-
ergy. 1t provides the surplus OF power
which enabels us to walk, to think ana
to work. and is represented by what
is known as the fats and carbohydrates.
These are the fuel producers, as 1T were,
and when taken into the body ana
burned up in the stomach, they provide
the heat and energy necessary to en-
able US to perform the various classes
of work indicated above. The fuel pro-
ducers. in other words, are exactly ike
the coal which we burn in the furnace
to raise the steam in the boiler drive
the engine produce electricity or any
other form of energy. We may nave
the frame work of the body and the
muscles and tissues covering IL, put IN
addition we must provide some form OF
ed will function the same way in the
human body as coal does in the steam
boiler. Naturally, it takes a large guam
tity of food of this character to keep
the BODY in a vigorous condition anu
supply the large amount of energy con-
sumed in work or movement OF any
kind. 1t is also necessary that certain
kinds of food be consumed IN large
quantities of help regulate the pody
and keep it healthy and free from dIs-
ease. This class of foods consists prl-
matilv of fruits and vegetables which
contain mineral elements of one charac-
fer and another Some of these fruits
and vegetables exert a purifying ehect
on the body as it were; others supply
iron so essential to the maintenance OF
bodily yigor. Others are valuable as
sources of lime phosphoric acid and pot
ash. 1.-THE other constituents required
not only keep the digestive system req
ulated. but keep the body in healthy
vigorous condition.
/ There has been a tendency in our
/ country to consume more foods of the
/ muscle and tissue-biulding character
J in proportion to our needs than of any
other class Probably we have neglect
! ed the fruits and vegetables In the
human dietary more than any other
form of food Now in great national
! emergency we have an opportunity
/ through changing our dietary, not only
I TO improve the nutrition of our people
as a whole but to enable us to salts
! factorily utilize larger quantities Oh
fruits and vegetables and perishaoles
/ generally than has been the custom IN
| the past In proportion as we increase
/ the utilization of these classes OF foods
we cut down and lessen the consump-
! ton of the essentials such as meats
! which it is now important for us TO
save We are also asked to conserve
wheat as completely as possible wheat
! is valuable for the protein it provides,
| but after all. il is largely carrier OF
carbohydrates, especially when used as
white flour as is the common practice
/ in this country. The question of the
! elimination of wheat from the dietary
| therefore brings up the problem as TO
whether this can be done cheaply and
I satisfactorily. There is a belief in the
minds of many. for instance, that II
/ they give up wheat and eat corn. the
| body will not be nearly as we'll nourish-
I ed and that such diseases as pellagra
| will be promoted by this change There
! is no ground for holding such belief
as the following figures clearly illus
J trate:
CALORIES PER OUNCE.