HOME ECONOMICS

Evening Star, Issue 18335, 24 July 1923, Page 9

HOME ECONOMICS

“PLANNING THE PAMIiY DIET."

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR RAWSON,

The subject of tho Family Diet ’ attracted a largo audience at tho monthly mooting of film Otago Homo Economics Association. To keep the body healthy, said Professor Ea.wson, tho food must contain aid tho essentials for the repair of tissues and for the provision of energy and beat. In addition, a child -s diet must allow for, active growth. In planning for a family group of both adults and children, the diet of tho children should be.the basis, with additions or alterations to suit the stronger digestion and differing needs of tho adults. By this method all members of the family will bo adequately nourished, while tho. child is generally the loser if tire diet is planned for tho adults and modified by elimination for tho child. Tho lecturer then proceeded to summarise as follows tho basic requirements of the, diet(l) Sufficiency of calories, oxheat and energy-giving units; (2) adequate protein of suitable type; (3) mineral salts; (4) vitamines; (5) water; (6) ‘ballast. It was explained that., taldug an average family of parents and three children under 12, and allowing for wastage, about 80,000 calorics should be supplied for the family per week. Tho foods vary m the number of calories yielded by them fats beirm the most concentrated energy foods, and "sugars and sweets being valuable for thi- and no other purpose. Tho lecturer was of tho opinion that tho average Now Zealand diet is adequate in respect to the calorics; that, indeed, tho tendency is to include, too much energy-yielding food, such as sweets, jam, white bread, and fried foods, and by so doing we_ decrease tho appetite for the foods which have other vital functions. Weighed amounts of various foods were then shown, eaoii of which will yield, 100 calories. It was striking to tho audience what a email piece of fat, chocolate, or sweet will yield m amount of heat. . Professor Rawson explained that tlio proteins in different foods vary, not only in amount, but also in their value as tissue builders, and henca a mixture ot proteins from various foods is more satisfactory than if the source is limited. Tho vegetable proteins, such ae those _in tho cereals and pulses, are valuable if supplemented bv protein from milk, eggs, and meat. For an adult, tho selection ot the sources can he freely made, provided, some animal protein is present; tor a child it is wise to guarantee that milk and er.-gs aro well represented, as_ they often mvaluaMe and complete proteins. _ Although tho total amount of mineral salts needed is comparatively small--about 1 per cent, of the total weight of tho food —it is of tho greatest importance for the health of the body. If the diet is well planned in other respects, some minerals v/ill necessarily bo present; but these inay bo lost by poor methods'of preparation and cooking; and may not be m tho correct proportion. Special care must be taken to guarantee sufficient calcium, phosphorus, and iron salts, and hence i is wise to know that there is a consider; ablo amount of calcium m milk, yo.it m era. cheese, green vegetables, and many fruits. Phosphorus is well represented m milk, cheese, yolk of egg, lean meat, unrefined cereals or pulses; while iron s abundant in yolk of egg, unrefined cereals pulses, and green vegetables spinach and oaJbbage). The lecturer went on to -say that, while calcium and phosphorus can be taken into the body in almost any form, whether as salts separate from the food or as a part ■of the food, iron is not so_ readily supplied In some forms it is not easily used by tho body, and it may, to a great extent, bo unabsorbed if presented m the form of tonics. Hence the importance ot green vegetables and other iron-yjclding foods. An example of iron which is very readily assimilated is that found in milk —this iron, though in quite small amounts, is very completely utilised. The vitamines are concerned with growth and tho maintenance of health, with resistance to disease. It was_ pointed out that vitamins A is present m large amounts in milk, butter, eggs, green vegetables, and cod liver oil. Yitamme 13 in vegetables, fruits, unrefined cereals, milk, °eggs, and yeast. Vitamino 0 m fruits such as oranges, tomatoes, and lemons, and in green vegetables. Tho vitamines aro susceptible to heat, especially if alkali, such ns soda, is present. Hence cooking is liable to destroy or impair the value of the vitamines, especially vitamino C, and so it is wise to use some raw fruit and green vegetables in the diet,, for in no other way can we guarantee an adequate amount of vitamine C. . Finally, the lecturer emphasised the importance of water and ballast. Slio pointed out that the indigestible residue left by green vegetables and fruits, together with free use of water’ between meals, was tho best means of ensuring the regular removal ot waste matter from the body. She emphasised the consequences of constipation, and made a few practical suggestions for dealing with this, trouble, which, she said, was comparable .to decayed teeth in poisoning the body and causing ill-health. By means of bags of varying colors, tho content of salts and vitamines of many foods was demonstrated, and members of the audience were impressed by the value of green vegetables, whole wheat, eggs, and, on the otlifer hand, by the deficiencies in other commonly used foods, such as sugar, cornflour, sago, etc. With the above preliminary as a basis, the lecturer then proceeded to show how our knowledge should be a guide in the purchasing of the family supplies. She divided the foods into classes in the following way, suggesting the rough amounts of each in a weekly supply of a family of five:—

(1) Fruits and vegetables (giving mineral matter, vitamines, and bulk): 701 b of these per week will bo an adequate proportion. For dried fruits, multiply tho weight purchased by six, as they have lost 5-6ths weight. (2) Efficient protein foods (milk, eggs, fish, meat, cheese, pulses): Milk, eleven quarts (minimum); meat and other foods, 141 b. With young children milk would be increased and others decreased.

(3) Cereals (wheat, oats, etc,, f give chiefly starch, some protein, and, if unrefined, minerals and vitamines); of the raw cereals (count 11b bread |lb of flour). (4) Sweetsi 41,1 b sugar. (Count 11b honey 31b sugar; 11b treacle gib sugar; 11b jellies and jams I,lb sugar). (5) Fats: 41b of pure fab. (Count butter and bacon 11b, |lb pure fat; cream and nuts in shell 11b, 3-lb pure fat). _ The lecturer recommended the audienca to keep their household - accounts for a few weeks on the, basis of finding whether tho foods were roughly in the proportions suggested,- as it would he a useful index as to whether the balance was correct. She stated that all sweets bought extra at the lolly shop must be included. Following the lecture a demonstration of the family diet was given by Professor Strong. Two tables were set with breakfast, dinner, and tea for a day, the one adequate, following the principles laid down in the lecture, the other such as would bo found in many homes, lacking in unrefined cereals, fruits, green vegetables, and milk. School lunches were exhibited, and a demonstration of cooking of left-over foods given. The audience was supplied •with recipes and several sheets of valuable information, and all went away satisfied that they had spent a most pjtifitablo and interesting evening.