CHAPTER XVI

Comparative Cost and Value of Foods

681. To what extent do the nutritive value and the market price of foods vary? 682. How is the value of one food expressed in terms of another food? 683. How determine the amount of nutrients that can be procured in a food for a given sum of money? 684. How compare the amounts of nutrients that can be procured in two foods for a given sum of money? 685. How is it possible to determine approximately which of two foods is cheaper, when the price and composition of the foods are known? 686. To what nutrient is preference usually given in assigning a value to a food? 687. When the difference in this nutrient between two foods is small, then the preference is given to what nutrients? 688. At ordinary prices, what are the cheapest vegetable foods? 689. What are among the cheapest animal foods? 690. Why is it not possible to determine the value of a food absolutely from its composition and digestibility? 691. Why is it necessary to consider the physical as well as the chemical composition of foods? 692. What proportion of the income of the laboring man is usually expended for food? 693. What are the most expensive foods? 694. What foods furnish the largest amount of nutrients at the least cost?