Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-04
INTERCHANGEABLE FOODS.
Let Cost Determine What Source Of
Starch 10 Use-potatoes as a
Source u Starch,

Source " Starch.
Rice. wheat. and corn. the common
starch foods eaten in the mixed diet
usual in most families, are relied ou
tlalnly "a sources OF energy to TIE
body. and have about the same valus
pound Tor pound. Therefore il rice,
wheat flour, cracked wheat, corn meal
or ho1iny cost the same per pound
they are equally cheap fuel foods.
Such foods, therefore. can be freely
interchangcd il foods like meat, milk
eggs, or beans and fruits or yegeta,
bles are eaten also.
Most wheat breakfast foods and
wheat pasies, like macaroni or spa.
she,ti, also have about the same ener'
sy value as wheat flour. corn and rice.
They differ very much in appearance
and also in bulk, according to the
method Of manufacture, and the cost
can not be judged merely by the size
Of the package to be obtained for i
or ~ cents. Now that the law r.
Qiires net weight 10 be marked on III
outside OF every package, II Is cab,
to reckon how much the food mate
rial actually costs a pound. Thus il
the net weight Of lucent package
o. breakfast food is ounces. a pound,
or rs Ounces, would cost 20 cents.
As general rlle--and very justly
tile si'-lDler preparations. when it
has taken less time and labor to pat
up. cos; less than the more elabori.,
ones. 'Hicse sold IL bulk usually cost
less than hose sold in cartons. t.aci,
houc ekcele. must decide whether tie
variety vha convenience Of the Inrru
expensive kinds cumpcnsates tor Tho
extra cost. In any case before she
cal choose wisely she must have reck.
oncl how much The package loal,
tUa, per E0un1.
Leav!hs aside cost OF preparation
and comparing rice with ready made
wheat bread, il appears that lice al Z
cents a pound is about uB cheap
source Of body fuel as bread at ) cents
a pound. If bread costs 5 cents n
pound, rice costing up to 10 cents
pound Is a cheaper source OF energy,
Bread costing cents a pound would
furnish energy AZ cheaply as rice at
AZ cents pound, Corn bread usually
costs much less per pound than wheat
bread, and SO furnishes energy at
still lower cost in the above COMBAT.
sen than wheat bread.
pound of potatoes yields hardly
one'tith AZ much body energy as
pound or rice, cornmeal, or wheat.
This IL partly because they are mitch
more Wa'ery ana partly because a
large proportion is discarded with tie
skins. Part Of this loss Is inevitable
because the skin itself is not usually
considered good to eat; but the more
carelessly potatoes are pared, the
more OF the valuable edible substance
soes with the skin. A bushel of pola.
toes weighs ~ pounds. peck l5
pounds. When potatoes are selling at
$l2O bushel, or 80 cents a peck, they
therefore cost cents 4 pound. II
their value Is one-fifth that OF rice,
they furnish fuel at about the same
cost as rice al 10 cents a pound and nj
about twice the cost of corn meal or
hominy al cents q pound. When
potatoes cost $40 bushel, or 90
cents a peck, they are about twice as
expensive ~ sources OF fuel as rice
al 10 cents, and four times as expon.
sive "a corn meal rr hominy at 6 cents
pound. These comparisons show
That. merely for providing fuel, pota.
toes are oiten more expensive than
rice, and practically always more ex.
pensige than corn meal or hominy. AS
was pointed out above potatoes often
are relied on not merely as a source
OK fuel, but also as source Of some OF
the mineral matters needed by the
body. They are usually among the
most economical OF the vegetables
which serve this second purpose, be.
cause they supply generous amount
OF energy as well az the building ma.
terials
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