Evening star., 1926-03-26

by WINIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

Once upon time there was a WON.
an possessed of an inordinate fond
ness for candy. She knew that she
was eating too much of food that,
properly used. would have been a
wholesome addition eto her diet, and,
like the vacillating lady in the song.
the burden Of her plant was. What
shall I do?' What she actually did
do was to determine to use saccharin
In her conee so as to make II possible.
according to her reasoning. to indulge
with a free conscience her fondness
for confectionery.
Whatever else may be said OF this
womans experiment. 1t at least pos
sesses the element Of originality. 1t Is
doubtful whether others have follow
ed. to any great extent, just such a
line OF reasoning.
Does this woman's reasoning stand
the test of sound dietetics?
Probably the best plan is to begin
Without touching upon the we'll
known controversy that ragged around
the point as to whether or not sac
charm Is safe for human consumption,
we may at least state one thing posi-
lively and without qualif1cation-sac.
charm is drug used, not Tor food
purposes. but as a makeshift measure
for those suffering from disease. Is
II not common sense to reason that,
since this is the case. one would he
very foolish to load the system with a
drug that can never be anything other
than safeguard for diseased conditions.
and may very possibly work harm to
the system?
Furthermore, the fact that the can.
dy lover realized that she was eating
too much confectionery points to the
probability, at least. that she was in
danger of some form Of disease that
is sure to follow the use of too much
sugar. Whether she was actually in
danger of diabetes is not the point at
present, but it Is a fairly safe assump.
tioa that this disease was lurking in
ambush ready for an attack.
1t seems to be easier to work out a
program of self planned penalties than
to pay that of conforming to natural
laws. One cannot but wonder why. A
steady keeping within the law of diet
brings It's own rewards, however. and
it may be that to emphasize it is to
perform much needed service to our
indulgencelovinG brothers and sisters
III our candy-loving lady. for in.
stance, had. in the beginning kept to
her reasonable and normal allowance
of sugar she would have found that
the curbing of cravings for excessive
quantities would have worked well in
the interests of her diet as a whole
She might have been so careful to in
clude in her ration the right quan.
titles of fruit sugars and of starch as
to make hef system quite satisfied
with reasonable amounts of candy.
When the craving for large quaint.
ties of candy SeiZes upon one 1t means
either that the diet is deficient in en-
ergy for normal living or that one is
facing a period of forced work, when
the supply of energy must be quickly
increased to meet the sudden demand
of toll.
If the first of these conditions pre-
walls the remedy is very simple. One
should analyze his diet very carefully,
submitting it to the tests imposed by
accepted standards and revising it ac.
cordingly. This will probably mean an
increased supply of fruits, of well
made bread. of fresh butter and of
other energy yielding foods. 1t will
| not by any means imply a cutting out
of all candy. On the contrary, unless
| disease has developed, the normal
| candy ration will be more enjoyed
than ever before.
As to the second contingency the
| demand for forced work, It must he
admitted that for those in normal
| health it Is occasionally justified to
! indulge In a generous treat of CANDY
| The immedia tely available energy
thus obtained may help to put the
job over.
But to do evil that good may come
emphatically, no!
| Copyright. 1926)