Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-02-12

Agriculture)
Every farmer knows that nitrogen
is one of the chemical elements which
neither his crops nor his stock can do
without. He knows also that 1t costs
more than almost any other element.
The same is true of nitrogen In human
food. 1t is absolutely necessary for
the building and repairing Of body It's
sues and can be obtained by the body
only from the food substance or nutri-
ent known as protein.
A larger proportion of protein Is
found in eggs. meats, fish, milk, cheese
(peas. beans. cOwpeas, soy beans, pea
nuts, etc. than In most other mate
rails, and these usually are spoken Of
as foods rich In protein, or the protein
group Of foods. Except for the dried
legumes, these protein-rich foods are
all Of animal origin and are mostly
among the more expensive food mate
rails. Some of the cereals, especially
wheat and oats, and some of the nuts
are also fairly rich In protein, while
smaller amounts are found in the 9TH
er cereals and minute quantities In
vegetables and fruits.
Milk is the best source of protein
for little children and should be the
chief item In their diet. Besides fur
nishing protein, 1t provides them with
some of the mineral matter necessary
to build tissue and with certain other
substances which, in tiny quantities
at least, are Indispensable for healthy
growth and development. Like any
kind of protein, 1t can also be used
by the body as fuel to provide energy
for the work of the muscles.
1t does not make much difference
from which materials older persons
get their supply Of protein, though a
variety Of kinds is usually considered
desirable. Not all of it ordinarily
comes from the protein-rich foods, for
wheat and other cereals contribute
much protein to the diet. In fact, 1t
is possible to plan perfectly whole
some and appetizing diets in which
about half of the necessary protein is
furnished by bread and other cereal
| foods.
The following lists may help to show
about how much protein there is in
some of the common food materials
and how they compare with one an
other in this respect:
| There is about One-fourth ounce Of
protein in-one glass milk; one egg
one and one-half to two ounces medium
fat meat; whole-milk cheese Zone
ounce or one and one-fifth cubic
lnches) one and three-quarter ounces
dried navy beans; three medium-sized
slices bread, either white or whole
wheat (three ounces).
There is about one ounce of protein
in-one quart milk; four eggs; six to
eight ounces medium fat meat; four
ounces whole-milk cheese; six ounces
dried navy beans; one small loaf
bread, either white or whole-wheat Q2
Ounces)..
1t is not necessary for a healthy per-
son to measure his food as carefully
as a doctor measures the medicines
or even the food which he prescribes
for an Invalid. If the body is in good
condition 1t adapts itself to the ordin-
airy variations in its food supply; when
there is little too much it can store
or dispose of what it does not need
at once, and when there is not enough,
1t can draw for time on its own sub
stance to make good the lack. The
danger comes when, day in and day
out, the body gets too much or too lit
tie food or when the kinds provided
are not the most suitable. While there
Is no need to measure exactly how
much protein is obtained with every
meal. If the diet as whole is to be
healthful and economical, the person
who plans 1t ought to know In a gen.
eral way how much protein and other
nutrients are needed and how much is
contained in the different food mate
rails. and then choose accordingly.
According to the standard common
ly used in this country as a practical
guide in planning meals about 31a
ounces of protein a day is a reasonable
quantity for young or middle-aged
man of average size, weighing about
$50 pounds and doing a moderate
amount of muscular work-like that
of a carpenter. 1t is believed that II
is wise to obtain this protein from q
variety of food materials.
Half of this protein (about tx
ounces) he might get from a pound
loaf of bread and four ounces of oat
meal porridge or other cooked cerea
used as a breakfast food. The other
~ ounces probably would be sup
piled chiefly by one or more of the fol
lowing: Meats, fish, eggs, milk, cheese
and dried legumes. 1t might be OBJ
tanned from an egg at breakfast, one
half pound of pork chops or mutton
chops weighed with bones and trim
mings) at dinner, and three-quarters
cupful (six ounces) of baked beans
or cowpeas at lunch or supper.
A larger person would have more
body tissue to keep In repair, so would
require more protein, while a smaller
| narcon xvould rou,fra loSc NUop,or g.