Evening star., 1926-01-20
FOOD AND HEALTH
BY WINIFRED STt ART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

! Asked why. when and how 10 eat
nuts one would reply that the hrSt
point is most easily answered. Tor IN"
! obvious retort the first point is why
/ not -
Why not cat a food that with ono
exception. the chestnut. is rich in pro
tein or body building food of eNCep-
tionally high value? Why not cat -
| food that in any food emergency.
may act as q substitute for meat. or
milk or eggs. or even butter? Why
not cat food that. besides all this.
furnishes fuel for hard working bodies.
energy to drive them along tho road ~
| life in the accomplishment Of their
various tasks" And even then We
should have but begun our queries.
Further discussion might lead us t"
the interesting discovery that nuts are
the reverse of acid in their final work
ing and. therefore, a good food for
those who are fighting tendency to
rheumatism and cout. ~ SAY nothing
of their offering a fine method OF pal
ancinc the normal diet in relation t"
acid and base-forming foods.
Nuts provide building material Of
, sturdy quality and in considerable
quantity for muscles, glands, blood
and bones. They are likewise clever
mechanics for they know how 70
mend as well as 10 build. and the nui
eater will find his h"dy kept in good
repair. in health as we'll as in dis
ease
When disease has actually become
established the repair workers among
the nuts have a busy time. for they
are among the foods prescribed for
such ailments az hardening Of the
arteries. decenerative changes in liver
and kidneys. and even approaching
Nnt h1t
powers in this or any other direction.
but as before stated. their final reac-
ton is alkaline. and they. therefore.
protect the Organs from the buSden
of anv further excess Of acid.
Why not stop bit as an English
man would put 1t, or wait minute. In
the A'ords of an American. and give
nuts an honora BILE place In preren-
As l. he case when discussing a
foodStunS. we must ho careful to
avoid extremes cf statements. Now
that we have made ourselves familiar
with the type Of service rendered by
nuts. and have learned their general
place in the diet. lei us not turn
around and "root' for nuts so vicor-
ously as to prescribe their use in and
out of season. Having trswC"Nd the
why" we vet face the 'when" and
how"
The when" may he taken tn relate
TO the age at which it i advisa bic /"
eat nuts. The answer Is, in Yankee
parlance. that depends. In normal
health. children Of school age. moi
Younger, may have nuts in the form
OF meal or butter. not right from the
shell. as they are likely To swallow
them without proper masticatlon.
Children of al least high school age,
those whose reasoning powers and
Judgment are developed. may usually
be allowed nut meats as such.
Adults in health will find them. rs
has been explained. = most Nauahl"
preventive food. and those with >
leaning toward uric acid disorders viii
be wise to add them I" thoir dietariNS
in place Of meat.
Next comes how.
Al the risk Of lncurrnc the dis
pleasure Of educators. we BEGIN With
negative and say: Not at the close
Of hearty meal" The how" pro
vides for diet program that gives 10
nuts their proper place. recognizing
that they are protein foods and rich in
bodybuilding material. that they are
concentrated food. and that they
should no more be hurled down upon
weary stomach at the close of an
already hearty meal than should
large piece of steak
And speaking Of meat. pound of
porterhouse steak contains no more
lime than an ounce Of almonds, No
wonder nuts are claSsed as conCen-
trated foods. J. Russell Smith puts il
in 4 telling way when he shows that
the waInut'is almost the equivalent Of
= tiny "a ndwish of bread and butter
and meat,
Let us cat nuts. bur let MS eat them
with discretion. after asCertaininc how
many we require to make NJ the food
value of normal ration
,CopvrlEht l2rS.'