THE FUNCTION OF FATS IN DIET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 3

THE FUNCTION OF FATS IN DIET.

■ Uncooked fats, sucli as butter, cream, and olive oil. arq valuable; foods; especially in cold weather ; they contain a large percentage of. carbon and a smaller percentage of oxygen than starches and sugars; hence they produce more heat and energy. When fats are, heated they are chemically changed—that is, they decomposo into fatty acids, and these are. irritating to , the intestinal tract., All cooked or heated fats cripple digestion. . Of all dishes soups are perhaps'imost easily spoiled by bad cooking. . To make a clear, tasty -meat soup ,the water should cold, the kettle gi'ahite or porcelain, and-the cooking slow. Ifor instance, if outsidd heat" keeps the juices and Savour in the, meat, cold water will dissolve the mineral matter and draw the flavouring :and juices. Put the.bones in thebottom of the kettle,.'the meat cut'into.bits on top of them, cover with cold water, allowing one'quart to each half-pound ,of bones and pound of meat. Bring slowly to, boiling point and skim. Simmer for four hours; add a carrot, onion, turnip, celery, bay-leaves, and twelve cloves, and simmer another hour. One hard' t boil will spoil the brilliancy ,pf tho soup., On' the other hand,,if thq, simmering, is below 180deg.-Fahrenheit, the soup will bo clouded and have an unpleasant'taste, of suet. If it. cooks too 1 long after the vegetables are put in it will be bitter. . .'!■ .: Coffee simply and .quickly percolated is palatable' and possesses exhilarating.-proper-ties. If qver-roastcd it is bitter, and when boiled not only'loses its. aroma, but'also becomes, one of our chief sources'of : indigestion and insomnia. ' Tea is equally pernicious when boiled. .On tho other hand, cocoa and chocolate must bo boiled iii water before milk is added.' These contain starch, and all starches should be cooked. . 51 alio, tea in a' china pot, 'away from ,the fire. Make, coffee' 1 in -a' simple French pot, uso good coffee, and freshly-boiled ■water, and malco it over an alcohol lamp if possible, ptherwise on the- table or ,qn ,the side of.the'stove. ' I wonder (says an American writer) why so few intelligent persons have so little knowledge or interest* in'the art: of living. .Even in our so-called higher civilisation most men care more for.a "full table" than for quality of adaptability of' foods. Tmtie must be 'cultivated, then good cooking will be appreciated, and salt and. spices will be used only in. the smallest quantities, and the temperance'pestion .will, be solved. . 'It is proved' beyond''a';doubt that life is worth living .only when -one is well, but;,tho Aniericans of all people, are most profligato with health; it seems foolish.to throw-away, anything so. useful, so difficult, to regain,' and so easy to keep. .Health depends upon .'knowledge of foods, the amount used) and 'the method of cooking. 'Why notuse part of our school time and. money, in tehching our girls how to select' and Cbok foods, and' how to blend them. into, a balanced meal to suit our needs ? 'In a fashion,. cookery is taught in many of our public schools, but why not mako it practical. Every girl can have fixed in her mind with: her other studies, ditrino- her schooldays, a correct purpose of living. 0 Let our mothers drop fancy, irritating, cookingcookery that , takes .hours to prepare, and provokes indigestion rather than health—and join in the crusade for pure, simple foods and higher thoughts. ■ • . • ■ Bodj'-building is by far a. greater art than tempting : the - palato to intemperance. Prevention is better than,cure. ' ' '