Evening star., 1925-12-22
FOOD AND HEALTH
BY WINIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

The dietetic snob, like the social
snob. is his own worst enemy Just
as the social snob often misses the
companionship OF those who are su-
premely worth while, so the dietetic
snob deprives his system of foods
that are of great value in building
strong bodies and in keeping those
bodies in a general state of good
health.
What are some Of the foods that
have from time t. time suffered from
such prejudice? Cabbage. onions, in
expensive cuts of meat. Sduerkraut,
margarine-oh. the list list is un-
fortunately q long one
Cabbage and onions are supposed
10 he ''piebeian' in their appeal. and
one often finds individuals who hide
their liking for these vegetables, CON
Tossing II only occasionally and then
shamefacedly.
such persons are advised to remem-
ber that cabbage is one of the best
known sources OF food lime and phos.
phorus. that it contains some food
IRON and that 1t possesses, besides. n
admirable quality--the power to neu-
tralize the acids formed in the di-
Cestion of certain other foods
Too seldom do we remember to
thank our food friend cabbage for its
part in making strong our tech and
bones. We are too often careless
about eating acid-forming foods I'm eX-
cess. and our second sin in this CON
nection is the neglect of giving honor
where honor is due. When cur svs-
TENS are loaded with poisons as the
result Of eating a one sided diet too
high in animal protein, then, like a
true friend in need, cabbage steps in
and helps to right the situation.
When 1t comes to sauerkraut we
might quote the little boy who said
Everything YOU say about me is
true about you" Practically everv-
thing raid about cabbage is true about
Sauerkraut, and, to lapse into the
vernacular. then some
The Tactic acid contained in sauer-
iraut Is Il great cleanser for both
stomach and intcstines. as it tends to
neutraliZe harmful fermentation. one
OF the first matters to which the
physician gives attention when treat.
ing & case of Intestinal putrefaction
Is to change the type Of the organ.
isms or fora. growing in their midst,
and cabbage and sauerkraut are ef.
ficient allies in such a campaign.
Then take the much.maligned onion.
Because of its acid oil the onion is.
If not properly prepared. Irritating to
ever. eliminates this danger-that is
for healthy adults. Although present
in slightly smaller quantities than in
cabbage. we find lime and phosphorus
also l. onions. This means that they
may take an honorable place in the
list of body regulators.
How often we hear n housewife
say: "Oh. ! don't dare offer my fam
lily anything but the choicest cuts of
steak or roasts or chops We rather
pride ourselves on having the best"
Such woman does not realize it.
but she is in sad need of reorcanjz-
ing her sense of values. The distrib-
utors of meat. those who make a
study of the most scientific methods,
are among the first to tell us that the
less expensive cuts are fully as high
in food value as the fancy or "choice"
varieties. One recalls the woman of
extremely limited income-who said.
My husband would leave me if |
gave him anything but porterhouse
steak one also recalls the joy with
which one watched that some hus-
band eat with relish a dish composed
of savoi'y meat cut from one of the
very cheapest portions of the animal
First, the wife's point of view was
newly directed; second, she was
taught to cook the cheap" meat,
and third. one had the Joy of doing
good, albeit unbeknown to him, to the
epicurean husband.
Let us avoid snobbishness In foods
as sedulously as in social contacts.
copyright. 1920