HOW TO BE HEALTHY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20556, 6 May 1930, Page 16

HOW TO BE HEALTHY.

EAT MORE FRUIT, A NATURAL BEAUTIFIER. That tho health outlook and dietetic habits of the people of Great Britain have undergone increasingly rapid changes during the past few years must bo obvious even to the most casual observer, writes Sir William Arbuthnot Lane in an overseas magazine. The success of the "Eat More Fruit" campaign is due to far more than clover advertising. It is rooted in the solid truth of the close relation between the consumption of fruit and the promotion of good health and the business men who control that campaign pay tho New Health Society the compliment of being responsible for an enormous increase in tho sale of fruit, thanks to our propaganda all over the country. Tho vital importance of fresh fruit to health was discovered some centuries ago, when it was found that the fatal disease of scurvy, which caused thousands of deaths every year among sailors on long voyages and soldiers on activo service, and, during the winter months, even among civilians, could be prevented or cured by adding the fresh juice of lemons or oranges to the diet.

Only a few years ago it was found by English scientists that this health-giving property was duo to tho presence of a substance now called vitamin C in the fresh juice. Tho dread disease of scurvy is now rarely met with in this country, because enough fruits and vegetables are taken in the averago diet to ensure immunity from such an extreme condition. But a deficiency of fruits and vegetables is still common in the diet of a very large number of people, with the consequence that they suffer from the early indefinite symptoms of scurvy, such as headache, fatigue after slight exertion and a sallow, muddy complexion. Fresh fruit eaten daily does more to beautify the complexion than any cosmetic.

The value of fruits in vitamin C content varies. A good deal of research work remains to be done in this connection, but it is certain that oranges, lemons and tomatoes stand highest by far. The minimum amount daily to prevent scurvy is one ounce each of either fresh lemon or orange, or tomato juice. (To ensure good health larger quantities should be taken.) Bearing this standard in mind, we find the following shows the comparative figures for several common fruits: — Orange, or lemon, or tomato, loz. (equals half an orange). Pineapple, or fresh lime, 2.5 oz.; peach, 50z.; apple or banana, 7oz. (equals two apples, or two bananas). Grapes, 30oz. (equals lj to 211>.). Grapefruit is probably as good as tho orange, Raspberries, gooseberries, cherries and other soft fruits would appear to be intermediate between apples and oranges. The day for regarding fruit as a luxury, suggested by the word "dessert," is gone. Instead of leaving it to the end of tho meal wo should make it the first course of an ideal meal. An orange, or half a'-grapefruit, is a perfect beginning to a meal.

The well-known American scientist. Professor Sherman, lays down two simple rules:—(l) "At least as much should he spent for milk (including cream and cheese, if used) as for meats, poultry and fish; ami (2) at least as much should be spent on fruits and vegetables as on meats, poultry and fish." This means that we should spend approximately the samo amounts on (a) milk and cheese; (b) fruit and vegetables; and (c) meat and fish.

Fruits alone do not constitute an ideal or complete diet. Tlicy provide rich vitamin elements, but they should form only a part of the balanced diet, of which wholemeal bread, milk, eggs, butter, green vegetables and a minimum of fish, or meat, should constitute the rest.

Ordinary cooking processes destroy vitamin .C. Stewing is especially harmful. Certain processes of tinning fruits and drying fruit juices are carried out rapidly in tho absence of air (i.e., in a vacuum). Fruits prepared in this way have often been found to be equal to fresh fruit However, no woman can possibly go wrong by including a generous portion of fresh fruit in her daily dietary. It is as. well, perhaps, to remind our readers of the respective properties of vitamins A, B and C. Vitamin A is responsible for building up resistance to disease, vitamin B maintains the health of the nervous system and the third, vitamin C, prevents scurvy or any tendency to it.