The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-08
FOOD ELEMENTS IN
 MEAT DESCRIBED
Protein in Meat One Ot Chief Assets in Food Value

The modern homemaker is beset with 8 growing concern about the why's and wherefores of the foods she buys and sets before her fam- lily. This may be partially due to the fact that she has been cling ing to the pennies a bit more de- terminedly and wants every one to do its part.
 Meats value in her family's diet has been one of her chief concerns. Whats the us of all this meat every day, anyway?" she frets. Her hazy guess follows that 'I suppose 1t must be the protein or some- thing"
 Protein is But One Reason
 Protein Is one of the excellent reasons for the inclusion of meat , 1n the normal diet, but not the only one, IneZ $. Wilson, home econom- ist, explains. 1t is q food element that has as its important duties the building, repairing, and keep ing up of body tissues.
 Proteins are found In almost every food, but especially in meat are the high quality or adequate proteins found.
 In ranking the various foods &C., cording to the protein that an av- craze serving supplies the body, liver, veal, and all lean meat rank at the very peak, while lamb. pork, the glandular meats and beef from which the fat has not been re- moved run shortly after. < Meat an Energy Food
 Outside of this protein need of her family, as the wondering homemaker confessed, she knows very little about why meat Is an important asset in her menus. For example, when asked to suggest a few 'energy" foods. she might not include meat in the list at all.
 The fact remains that the meat servings top the list again in tho relative number of calories, or heat units, which they give to the body to provide heat and energy. First pork, then beef, lamb, lean meat, veal and liver have been found to be sources of the most heat and energy per serving. The reason that meat Is not usually classed as among the en. orgy foods IS that while 1t there tops the list, It's even more impor- tant function Is te build and repair the body,
 Best Source of Minerals
 Phosphorus, that very important mineral which combines with call cium to form bones and teeth, givos the questioner another good rea7on for eating meat. Children, especially, need regular and generous supply of phosphorus 10 meet the needs of fast-growing bodies.
 Here again, in. the relative amount of phosphorus per serving, meats hold the pinnacle. Liver az, in Is listed the best source of the minerals, with lean meat, veal, lamb, pork, beef and the glandular meats following in rapid succession down the list.
 Two other minerals, iron and copper, furnish still another excel lent boost for the, value of meat in the diet. These two, necessary in the body's process of distribut- ing life-giving oxygen, are found in the largest amounts in liver, particularly pork liver, although beef, calf's and lambs liver are all much above any other food. Heart runs second, but beef, veal, lamb and pork are all considered good sources of iron and are known to contain the valuable copper.
 Little Is yet known about the elusive vitamins. Only approx!- mate checks may be made upon the vitamin content of the various foods, but present findings indicate that as vitamin source, meat is amply justified in the modern diet. Particularly have the meats been found to be rich in vitamins A, B and c.