Chapter I: Food Requirements

It is important that the diet should contain the proper amount of protein, starches and fats, suitable to the individual needs. Age, weight, size, occupation, season and climate must all be considered. The majority of civilized men and women consume from two to three times the amount of food necessary. Numerous and careful researches regarding food requirements have been made during the last fifty years.

The composition of American food materials and the dietary standards of Professors Voit and Atwater can be found on the last pages of this book.

The recent experiments of Professor Chittenden, of Yale University, have demonstrated that 60 grams of protein, with the necessary amount of fats and carbohydrates to yield from 1500 to 2500 calories per day, is sufficient. These requirements are regarded as presenting the minimum of what is necessary for the maintenance of health, strength and activity. To take more food than the body requires means not only waste of food, but an unnecessary strain upon the body, by this excess, which must be gotten rid of at the expense of energy, that could be more profitably expended for other purposes.

The sample menus given on following pages are taken from the results of my own experimental work with different people, under different conditions, and of weights varying from 130 to 160 pounds. They were people in poor health, suffering from lack of nutrition brought about by unsuitable food, such as too much protein or starchy foods; insufficient fats and minerals in the food; excess of cooked foods; improper combinations and wrong time for eating. Some improved in health and strength immediately after the change of diet, and were able to do from eight to twelve hours of active work, while others found it necessary to take a rest and develop their stomachs gradually by a change to raw foods.

I am convinced that the amount of protein presented in the sample bills of fare is sufficient for the average individual, provided the food is properly masticated, digested and assimilated, and not forced down by artificial stimulants and poisonous beverages. The amount of carbohydrates and fat required differs greatly with different temperaments and individual peculiarities, and must be determined by the individual himself. Those who can use a considerable amount of cereals and fruits require less fat, while others who are not so well able to digest large amounts of starchy foods and fruits require more fats.

Cooked foods are more easily digested than raw foods, but the nutritive value is very definitely influenced by the process of cooking; therefore it is important to consume as much food as possible in the raw state.

Sample of Daily Food Requirements (roughly described):

TABLE 1.

Grams _contain_ Protein Fats and Carbohydrates Milk 50 2 4 Rice, barley, noodles or corn 100 12 40 Lean meat 250 54 32 Greens 125 3 6 Bread 200 14 56 Butter 50 -- 34 Oil, ¹⁄₂ cup (or fat meat) 150 -- 102 Fruit 300 -- 18 Eggs 100 12 16 -- ---- 97 308

TABLE 2.

Milk 50 2 4 Rice or any other cereal 100 12 40 Greens 125 3 6 Potatoes or carrots 100 2 11 Cheese (or nuts or legumes) 100 25 36 Oil, ¹⁄₂ cup (or fat meat) 150 -- 102 Fruit 300 -- 18 Bread 300 21 84 Butter 50 -- 34 -- ---- 65 335

SAMPLE MENUS

I. BREAKFAST.

(Winter.)

Pearl barley with hot cream and French prunes. Two soda crackers.

Portion of food containing calories Pearl barley (measured raw) ¹⁄₃ cup 450 Cream ¹⁄₂ cup 230 French prunes 5¹⁄₂ 100 Soda crackers 4 100 ---- 880

DINNER.

Tomato and lettuce salad with mayonnaise dressing. Baked beans with lemon and fat meat. Carrots.

Tomatoes 2 raw 100 Lettuce ¹⁄₄ head 10 Oil 4 tablesps. 400 Egg 1 whole 60 Beans ¹⁄₂ cup (raw) 300 Fat meat ¹⁄₄ lb. 650 Carrots 1 large 50 Lemon Juice of ¹⁄₂ 8 ---- 1578

SUPPER.

Tomato cream soup with toast and raw celery.

Butter 1 tablesp. 105 Strained tomato juice 1 cup 100 Cream ¹⁄₂ cup 230 Toast 2 small slices 75 Celery 3 stalks (raw) 25 ---- 535

II. BREAKFAST.

(Summer.)

Strawberries, two boiled eggs with shredded wheat or toast, or raw wheat flakes.

Strawberries 1 cup 60 Eggs 2 120 Shredded wheat 2 200 Butter 1 tablesp. 105 ---- 485

DINNER.

Apple and celery salad with French or mayonnaise dressing. Boiled codfish with white sauce. Bread and butter. Black unsweetened coffee.

Apple 1 large 100 Celery 2 stalks 16 Oil 4 tablesps. 400 Egg 1 60 Lemon ¹⁄₂ 8 Fish ¹⁄₃ lb. 130 Butter 2 tablesps. 200 Flour 1 tablesp. 30 Black Bread 2 large slices 200 ---- 1144

SUPPER.

Muskmelon with lemon. Creamed chipped beef on toast.

Melon ¹⁄₂ 60 Lemon Juice of ¹⁄₄ 4 Chipped beef 3 slices 50 Cream ¹⁄₂ cup 230 Toast 1 large 100 ---- 444

III. BREAKFAST.

(Summer.)

Banana, apple and lettuce salad with French or mayonnaise dressing. Stale black bread.

Apple 1 large 100 Lettuce ¹⁄₄ head 10 Banana 1 100 Oil 2 tablesps. 200 Lemon Juice of ¹⁄₄ 4 Black Bread 1 slice 100 ---- 514

DINNER.

Cream of wheat porridge with hot cream. Almonds and raisins.

Cream of wheat (raw) ¹⁄₃ cup 250 Cream 3 ounces 273 Almonds 12 large 120 Raisins 12 large 100 ---- 743

SUPPER.

Strawberries with a large glass of raw mixed milk and cream and zwieback.

Strawberries 2 cups 120 Zwieback 2 100 Cream 4 ounces 230 Milk 8 ounces 165 ---- 615

IV. BREAKFAST.

(Summer or Winter.)

Steel cut oats or wheat with butter or hot cream. Two large carrots or cucumbers.

Oats (measured raw) ¹⁄₃ cup 100 Butter 1 tablesp. 105 Carrots 2 large 100 ---- 305

LUNCH OR DINNER.

Sandwiches with butter and sliced American cheese or one-half blood or liver sausage and two apples.

Black or whole wheat bread 2 large slices 200 Butter 3 tablesps. 315 Cheese ¹⁄₄ lb. 450 Apples 2 large 100 ---- 1065

SUPPER.

Green pea soup with fried bread and stewed prunes.

Peas (measured before soaking) ¹⁄₂ cup 80 Onion 1 6 Bread 2 small slices 75 Fat for cooking and frying 4 tablesps. 400 Flour for cooking and frying 2 tablesps. 60 Prunes 6 120 ---- 741

V. BREAKFAST.

(Summer or Winter.)

Banana salad with lettuce and French dressing, grapenuts or ryenuts.

Banana 2 medium 200 Lettuce ¹⁄₄ head 10 Olive Oil 2 tablesps. 200 Lemon Juice of ¹⁄₂ 8 Grapenuts 1 tablesp. 30 ---- 448

DINNER.

Strained barley soup with prunes, beefsteak, sprouts and butter sauce, toast and black coffee.

Barley (before soaking) ¹⁄₃ cup 450 Prunes 5 100 Butter 1 teasp. 105 Beefsteak ¹⁄₄ lb. 160 Sprouts ³⁄₄ cup 30 Butter Sauce ¹⁄₂ cup 135 Toast 1 large slice 100 Butter 1 teasp. 35 ---- 1115

SUPPER.

Baked apple with cream, puffed wheat or corn flakes mixed with pieces of butter, two soft boiled eggs, one-half cup of black coffee.

Apple 1 large 100 Cream ¹⁄₄ cup 115 Puffed wheat ³⁄₄ cup 75 Butter 1 tablesp. 105 Eggs 2 120 ---- 515

FOOD FOR THE AGED

Many people at the ages of sixty and seventy still lead an active life, while others retire from activity at forty-five or fifty. Therefore, the food must conform to the person’s mental and physical requirements. If the teeth are poor and the digestive powers are weak, the food should be light, consisting mainly of well cooked cereals, baked potatoes, rice, cooked greens, a small amount of meat, raw fruits and raw greens in combination with fatty foods, as salads, milk and buttermilk, toasted breads and soups. The total fuel requirement depends upon whether the individual leads a quiet or active existence. For a person who lives mainly indoors, and makes little use of the muscles of the arms, shoulders and trunk, 1000 to 1200 calories is sufficient for twenty-four hours. If more food is eaten than the body requires, the excess will manifest itself by the development of chronic ailments and obesity, or feeble-mindedness.

The morning and evening meals should consist of fluid and semi-fluid foods, or of toasted breads and salads. Meats, eggs (except the yolks), cheese, beans, peas and nuts should be eaten only during the middle of the day in small quantities. One can cut down his amount of food greatly by thoroughly chewing each morsel. The demand for protein at this period is small, while the amount of fat should be increased. A few sample bills of fare may be of assistance to those who wish to make a study of food requirements for themselves or for others.

MENUS FOR THE AGED

I. BREAKFAST.

Apple salad with lettuce finely chopped, onion and mayonnaise dressing, bacon and crusts.

Portion of food containing calories Apple 1 medium 72 Lettuce ¹⁄₈ head 5 Onion ¹⁄₄ piece Oil 4 tablesps. 100 Lemon or vinegar About 2 teasps. 4 Yolk of egg 1 48 Bacon 2 ounces 325 Crusts 2 50 ---- 604

DINNER.

Clear soup with rice and egg. One lamb chop with sprouts, and one triscuit with butter.

Soup 1 cup 100 Rice (measured before soaking) 2 tablesps. 100 Yolk of Egg 1 48 Lamb chop 1 small 100 Sprouts ¹⁄₂ cup 20 Butter sauce ¹⁄₂ cup 135 Triscuit 1 35 Butter 1 teasp. 35 ---- 573

SUPPER.

One large glass of buttermilk, kumyss, peptonized hot milk or Dr. Metchinikoff’s sour milk, with one slice of graham toast.

Milk 12 ounces 247
Graham toast 1 large slice 100
----
347

II. BREAKFAST.

Raw cranberries and celery with olive oil, one slice of graham or whole wheat toast with butter and unsweetened black malt coffee.

Cranberries ¹⁄₄ cup 10 Olive oil 2 tablesps. 100 Toast 1 large slice 100 Butter 1 tablesp. 105 Raw Celery 2 stalks 16 ---- 331

DINNER.

Rice with cream or tomato sauce, eight almonds or one large zwieback with one level tablespoonful of almond butter and raisins.

Rice 3 tablesps. 150 Hot cream 2 ounces 115 Almonds 8 80 Raisins (large) 8 80 ---- 425

SUPPER.

Calves’-foot and tomato jelly with graham toast or puffed wheat and milk or black malt coffee.

Jelly ¹⁄₂ cup 50 Puffed Wheat 1 cup 100 Milk 8 ounces 165 ---- 315

III. BREAKFAST.

Raspberries or strawberries, plain shredded wheat with cream.

Raspberries ¹⁄₂ cup 30 Shredded wheat 1 100 Cream 2 ounces 115 ---- 245

DINNER.

Potato or apple salad, and lettuce with mayonnaise dressing, fish, black crusts and black coffee.

Potatoes 2 medium 150 Oil 4 tablesps. 400 Yolk of egg 1 48 Lemon or vinegar About 1 tablesp. 5 Raw onion (finely chopped) ¹⁄₂ piece 3 Crusts 3 75 ---- 681

SUPPER.

Cook’s flaked rice gruel with hot cream, cream toast or vegetable cream soup.

Flaked rice 1 cup 100 Hot cream 2 ounces 115 Hot water 1 cup ---- 215

IV. BREAKFAST.

Cooked string beans with butter sauce and parsley, fried bacon and triscuit with butter.

String beans (cut up) ¹⁄₂ cup 20 Butter sauce ¹⁄₂ cup 135 Fried bacon 2 ounces 200 Triscuit 1 35 Butter 1 teasp. 35 ---- 425

DINNER.

Barley soup with crackers, pea puree on toast, stewed prunes with cream.

Barley 3 tablesps. 270 Butter 1 teasp. 35 Cracker 1 25 Pea puree 2 tablesps. 100 Toast 1 large 100 Prunes 5 100 Cream 2 ounces 115 ---- 745

SUPPER.

Bran tea with cream. A piece of cake or a slice of light egg toast.

Bran ¹⁄₂ cup 110 Cream 1 ounce 58 Egg 1 60 Soupstock ¹⁄₄ cup 25 Butter for frying 1 tablesp. 105 ---- 358