BREAD.

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19565, 2 May 1935, Page 11

BREAD.

GREAT NUTRITIVE VALUE. Weight reducing qualities. '(By the Wheat Research Institute.) -Most people cat what they like, when they like, and as much as they ■like—Hvhile hread or brown, calories and vitamins have no 'interest for them. They arc the sen-ji'ble and lucky ones. Their luck is the greater that they do not need to read this arliclo in the, improbable event of their having commenced it. it is not for them. But while these, people form the great majority, there are at the ends of the scale 'two sets of people who have to consider what they eat and how much of it. First, there arc those people who, because of bad times, small means, or large families, wish to know how they can spend their money so as to get the greatest nutritive valuo lor their expenditure on food; and there are those people who from their mode of life, or from sedentary occupations, tend to become over-weight and 'So prejudice their health or offend their sense of beauty.

Kinds of Nutrients. Foodstuffs consist of three main hydrates typified in th/ pure form by starch and sugar, and in a fairly pure ; form by the dry matter in potatoes Then thero are Hie proteids,* almost pure in the dry matter of white of egg and fairly pure in the dry matter of lean meat; and, 'third, there are the fats, such as butter. Beside these there are various vitamins. No food that we commonly use contains only one of these Ingredients, although many of them have one ingredient preponderantly. For instance, bread •contains 53 per cent, carbo-hydrate and 7.8 per cent, proteins, and medium rump steak 16 per cent', proteins and 25 per 'cent, of fats, the remainder In both cases being chiefly water. The object of eating food is to provide energy for the body. The •energy-giving power of food is measured in a unit called a -calorie. Other things bolng equal, the most valuable

■food In that which -produces the most • calories, and the most economical | food 13 that which produces the most ?>• calories per penny. The fats give the | most calories per pound, and then a . long way behind come the carbohydrates and the proteids almost equal. Paire fat contains 4160 caioirles per -pound; pure carbohydrate . contains 1810 calories perpounl; pure - protein contains 1780 calories per pound. The -following figures ishow the cal- • ories per pound oif some common -foods. The figures are based on ,r average values. For instance, it is average bacon, that is considered; if it were, fatter -than usual its calorific value would be higher, and if leaner, then lower. Calorics per pound: 'Butter 3500, •<: bacon (fat) 2700, cheese (whole

milk) 2000, rump steak 2000, bread 1040,--fish 690, eggs 650, chicken 360, J • milk 300, potatoes 300, apples 195. The figures show: (1) The high b oaloriflo value of 'the foods containing f ' much fat such as butter, fat bacon, ■ cheese and meat; (2) the low caloriflo Rvalue of 'foods containing, much water, te;' such as milk, .potatoes and fruit; and ri (3) the outstanding cheapness of bread and potatoes per unit of energy.

Mixed Diet. '■ v , ( it is not of course suggested that man can live by bread alone—or potatoes alone. Besides food for energy, there must be provided food for other purposes, tout bread Is ‘the cheapest basis for the toest mixed diet. For instance, a dally diet for a working man can toe made up as follows:

~ Bread (ljlto) 21oz, toutter 2oz, lean j. meat 2oz, green vegetables 4oz, white vegetables, potatoes, artichoke, parsnips 4oz, milk (ipint) lOoz, egg 2 oz, fruits, apples, pears, etc.,'

lib. This diet provides the requisite proportions of carbohydrates, pro-, telns, fats and vitamins. It provides the 3000 calories needed toy the work-ing-man, and Its basis is bread, which makes up exactly half the diet, exclusive of the fruit. And the cost of the (bread Is only one-quarter of the whole diet,. Bread is the cheapest kind of nutrient that we can buy.

Control of Excess Weight,

To some people, however, the chief point of importance’ about their food is not the cost of it, tout its effect in producing excess weight. If more food is eaten than is required for perfect'maintenance then the'superfluous flesh put on will toe in almost direct ratio. If more fodd than is 'required; for perfect health Is eaten, then, for instance, an ounce of rump

■steak, with its usual amount of fat, will put [on twice as much fat as an ounce ofvbread will, and an ounce of butter will put on three and a half times as much if at as an ounce of bread. The Idea that bread and potatoes are fattening is an entire misconception.

This does not mean that butter and meat are to toe entirely avoided by those wishing to reduce weight. ’Butter contains essential vitamins; meat contains essential animal proteins; and much harm can toe done by neglecting these essential foods. The difficulty with persons of excess weight Is to satisfy the cravings of appetite, and at the same time to eat food that does not fend to produce excessive fat, and bread is one of tho foods that best fulfils tlieso opposite demands.

Reduction of weight toy restricting food Is a process that requires considerable care from a health point of view. Of course, If one is decidedly overweight the best thing is to take exeroise at skipping—skipping meals. But If any one near his normal weight reduces his intake to 1800 or 1500 calories per day the diet must be care - fully balanced if health is to toe maintained, and the best thing to do is to got a medical man to indicate the food required. If this is done it will toe found that * considerable proportion of the diet prescribed is made up of bread.