The citizen., 1920-07-01
THE A B c OF MILK
By Jessie A. Knox

A quart Of milk a day for every
child and a pint n day for every
adult is one Of the best slogans that
can be adopted by the present.
day housekcepcr. With milk at
fifteen TO nineteen cents quart,
this may seem extravagant but the
price paid for food should not be
measured solely in terms OF dollars
and cents. Food purchased at low
cost is cheap only when IL keeps
the body in a high state of efn-
cheney. This does not mean that
nourishing food cannot be bought
chcaply, nor that expensive foods
always give the highest returns.
but merely shows that the money
value Of food should not be the
only determining factor for its in
cl1sion or exclusion in the dietary.
Some foods that are an expensive
source of energy may prove TO be
very cheap and indispensable
source of iron or lime, or a food
that is cheap source Of energy
may be expensive as a source Of
protein. When we remember that
milk is a food as we'll as q beverage
and consider its food value and
composition. il will readily be seen
That even at present-day prices, il
is one Of the cheapest foods we
have. IL contains in remarkably
good proportions and in forms that
are easily suited TO use by the body
all the elements necessary TO sup
port life. II is a perfect food for
babies and young children and is
well suited TO the needs Of persons
OF all ages. II is not desirable, how
ever, as the sole article Of diet for
adults. because the proportion Of
water is so high that large quanti-
ties Of IL would have TO be taken
in order TO supply the necessary
energy.
The protein in milk is princi-
pally casein and lact-albumin and
is in such proportions that place
milk high in rank Of protein foods.
IL furnishes the nitrogen necessary
for the rapid growth in children
and is greatly preferred to meat
protein, as il is non-stimulating
and is far less liable to putretac-
tion in the alimentary tract. A
quart Of milk and one egg a day
VIII furnish all the protein needed
by a child under eight years. When
milk is taken under normal oondi-
tlons, in connection with compare
lively small amount OF bread or
other solid food. from % TO 9s per
cent OF its protein is digested and
absorbed. II also has the advantage
OF not containing substances thai
yield uric acid in the body. Milk
proteins play an especially import
ant part in growth and nutrition.
The fat Of milk. in the form OF
cream, is in an emulsiled form and
more readily digested than the fat
OF meat and other similar foods.
Milk sugar, or lactase, needs only
ic be converted into simple sugars
by the action Of ferment, lactase,
found in the intestines. to be uti-
llzed by the body. The minerals in
milk are all that are required for the
formation and repair OF the bony
tissues and are in forms that can
be very easily assimilited.
Milk is a fuel food because il
contains fat and sugar; growth
food because Of it's protein and
a protective food by reason
Of IFS minerals and vitamines,
chiefly the fat soluble A. This fat
soluble vitamine is absolutely es-
scntial TO growth, and is found
chiefly in the fat of milk and in
egg yolk. The COW gets this vita
mine from the green food she eats,
but as we are not capable Of con-
the enormous quantities OF