Food

Food has two functions, building up the body, and supplying it with force. Substances used as food may be divided into elements which are oxidizable and those conducive to chemical changes. Milk contains all the nece ary elements in the best form. The nourishing elements of foods are usually cla ed under the heads of albuminates, fats, carbo-hydrates, and salts. In regard to the part played by the condiments used in flavoring and seasoning, and such things as tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, etc., little is positively known beyond the fact that some of them are useful in exciting the salivary and alimentary secretions. The amount of food nece ary to health and vigor varies with the kind and amount of occupation, the character of the climate, and specifically with the individual. Play fair and Parkes give the following as the average daily allowance of anhydrous food for an adult, in avoirdupois ounces: In quietude. | Albuminates | 2.5 | | Fats | 1. | | Carbo-hydrates | 12. | | Salts |.5 | | Total | 16. | Hard labor or campaigning. | Albuminates | 6. | to | 7. | | Fats | 3.5 | to | 4.5 | | Carbo-hydrates | 16. | to | 18. | | Salts | 1.2 | to | 1.5 | | Total | 26.7 | to | 31.0 | European standard, for moderate work. | Albuminates | 4.587 | | Fats | 2.964 | | Carbo-hydrates | 14.257 | | Salts | 1.058 | | Total | 22.866 | From 70 to 90 ounces of water in addition to this are usually consumed per day. The ration of the U. S. army resolved into anhydrous elements gives the following: Soft bread, with 2 ⁄ 3 fresh beef, 1 ⁄ 3 salt pork and beans. | Albuminates | 3.93 | | Fats | 4.15 | | Carbo-hydrates | 12.37 | | Salts | 1.19 | | Total | 21.64 | and.26 coffee. | Same with rice instead of beans. | Albuminates | 3.47 | | Fats | 4.11 | | Carbo-hydrates | 12.50 | | Salts | 1.14 | | Total | 21.22 | and.26 coffee. | Hard bread, 2 ⁄ 3 fresh beef, 1 ⁄ 3 salt pork and beans. | Albuminates | 4.99 | | Fats | 4.09 | | Carbo-hydrates | 15.26 | | Salts | 1.23 | | Total | 25.57 | and.26 coffee. | Hard bread, bacon and beans. | Albuminates | 4.10 | | Fats | 9.06 | | Carbo-hydrates | 15.26 | | Salts | 1.29 | | Total | 29.71 | and.26 coffee. | The following table, compiled from standard authorities, gives an alimentary analysis of 100 parts of various substances used as food, by means of which the nutritive value of all ordinary diets may be calculated: | Water. | Albumi- nates. | Fats. | Carbo- Hydrates. | Salts. | | Meat (best quality), beefsteak | 74.4 | 20.5 | 3.5 |... | 1.6 | | Meat (average like soldiers), le 1⁄5 for bone | 75. | 15. | 8.4 |... | 1.6 | | Meat (very fat, stall fed) | 63. | 14. | 19. |... | 3.7 | | Salt beef (Girardin) | 49.1 | 29.6 | 0.2 |... | 21.1 | | Salt pork (Girardin) | 44.1 | 26.1 | 7. |... | 22.8 | | Fat pork (Letheby) | 39. | 9.8 | 48.9 |... | 2.3 | | Bacon (salted and smoked) (Letheby) | 15. | 8.8 | 73.3 |... | 2.9 | | Fish (Letheby) | 78. | 18.1 | 2.9 |... | 1. | | Poultry, le bone 1⁄6 (Letheby) | 74. | 21. | 3.8 |... | 1.2 | | Butter | 6. |.3 | 91. |... | 2.5 | | Eggs (le 1⁄10 for shell) | 73.5 | 13.5 | 11.6 |... | 1. | | Cheese | 36.8 | 33.5 | 24.3 |... | 5.4 | | Bread (wheat, average quality) | 40. | 8. | 1.5 | 49.2 | 1.3 | | Biscuit, hard | 8. | 15.6 | 1.3 | 73.4 | 1.7 | | Wheat flour (average) | 15. | 11. | 2. | 70.3 | 1.7 | | Rice | 10. | 5. | 0.8 | 83.2 |.5 | | Oatmeal | 15. | 12.6 | 5.6 | 63. | 3. | | Cornmeal | 13.5 | 10. | 6.7 | 64.5 | 1.4 | | Peas (dry) | 15. | 22. | 2. | 53. | 2.4 | | Beans (dry) | 16. | 22.5 | 2.2 | 49.9 | 4.7 | | Potatoes, Irish | 74. | 1.5 | 0.1 | 23.4 | 1. | | Potatoes, sweet | 70.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 23.5 | 2.9 | | Yams | 74. | 2. | 0.5 | 16.2 | 1.3 | | Carrots | 85. |.6 | 0.25 | 8.4 |.7 | | Parsnips | 82.4 | 1.125 | 0.54 | 6.39 | 1. | | Turnips | 90.5 | 1.1 |... | 4. |.5 | | Cabbage | 91. |.2 | 0.5 | 5.8 |.7 | | Milk (average) | 88.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 4.5 |.5 | | Cream | 66. | 2.7 | 26.7 | 2.8 | 1.8 | | Sugar | 3. |... |... | 96.5 |.5 |