FEEDING THE SCHOOLBOY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19453, 8 October 1926, Page 7

FEEDING THE SCHOOLBOY.

Dr. H. C. Corry Mann's interesting experiments to determine the best diet for schoolboys emphasise the extreme importance of milk and butter to the growing boy, writes a physician. Milk has, of course, long been known to man as an important article of diet. It is in itself a complete food, containing all the food constituents —proteins, carbohydrates, fat, salts, and water—in better proportions than any other article of diet.- Above all it is rich in calcium phosphate, so necessary when teeth and bode 1 are in the formative periods It cannot be used as the sole diet except iu the very young, as it is so voluminous that unpleasantly large quantities would have to be taken. It has the further disadvantage that it is very . sub-, ject to putrefaction and is, moreover, easily contaminated. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that it should he kept in cool, airy places and handled throughout with the most scrupulous care. Butter is not only the most palatable but also tho most digestible form of fat. Present-day investigation provides abundant evidence of the beneficial effects of a diet rich in dairy produce, fresh fruit and vegetables. IL we were able to feed ourselves as a nation on fresh meat, milk, butter, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and wholemeal bread we should have no need to worry on the score of vitamins. Economic factors make it impossible to provide an ideal diet for all, but tho recent experiments prove abundantly the remarkable improvements which occur in children *o whom a daily ration of fresh milk is given.