The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-22
Home Nursing
Concerning Cereals


 THO the woman taking care of in-
 valids in her own home, cereals
 are always important.
 First, because grain yields more nour- ishment than any other plant.
 Second, because their value lies Tn eontent of starches, salts and vitamines. Third. because as cream and sugar are nenerally served with them they are rich in combined food values.
 Oatmeal is richer in fats, proteins and minerals than most cereals. Barley contains a large percentage of mineral matter, especially iron and phosphates. Cereals, whether prepared in the form ] of porridge or mush, gruel or jelly, must ' De cooked q very long time. This is to X rupture the outer layers, of cellulose sur A rounding the starch of the grain, thus making it more digesible.
 The cellulose, or outer layers of the grain kernel, are called bran. Bran IS coarse woody material, containing mineral matter and in the bran of some grains is found little protein. When one is in good health bran and coarse Hours are better than white Hours, because they act as an intestinal irri- tant and prevent constipation.
 But in illness the bran or cellulose of the grain should be disintegrated by long cooking to make it digestible.
 For the person who has been very i'll all cereal gruels should be care fully strained lest small particles of eel I1lose irritate the intestinal tract.
 While oatmeal gruel is probably the most familiar to everyone, one may vary it with many other kinds, such as cracked wheat! rice, tapioca, sago, bar ia8, in fact, practically any cereal.
 Long cooking in a double boiler to prevent scorching, care in measuring seemingly small amount of grain to pint of water, and the addition of a pinch of salt to take away the sicken- ing blandness are points to be remem- blfed in making cereal gruels.
 One cup of gruel, badly made, will fnrn sick person forever against
 nel, no matter how perfectly blended
 served thereafter
 Too much grain and too little water 4akes stodgy, lumpy mass that will nsk strain and is not smooth and creauy. Too much water makes thin ntefy gruel that has no appeal. Fxoper measurements and long cooking wiH give you a creamy delicious mix \ ture veivety in texture and. with the ! addition of cream and a little sugar, S f3ela in combined food value.
 TO make any grtAel, add three level lnbIespoonfuls of eereal-grain to a quart ef boiling, slightly salted water. Allow this to cook in double boiler for four hours. Especially with oatmeal long cooking enriches and develops the fla par. Strain and servet in cup, with froam and sugar on the tray. Be sure that there is enough salt in the gruel, bnt never add sugar. as few people care for sweets when they are i'll. Gen srafiy they prefer to add the sugar themselves. Some people, like a little nutmeg sprinkled across the top of the eauef. Others dislike it, So one could solve the difficulty by putting some esafed nutmeg in a salt shaker and all loving the patient to decide.
 It seems unnecessary to explain the procsss for making porridge, but many neopie make it so haphazard1y that a few hints may not be amiss. Like GUS fAfds, porridge requires little judg-
 elt The grain should be slowly stirred into boiling water, previously
 Iesd to taste Quantities of cereal re- nusrsH vary, but generally a small cup al G quart of water suffices. Flour egeas should first be combined with f6Id Water. then added to the bailing 4tef. Four hours of cooking will hlake
 ffSt porridge. That is why it is
 a make your ,porridge in the afEer-
 at night possible