A reference hand-book for nurses

by Amanda K. Beck

Chief functions in the body.
I. Protein	Meats
	Fish		Build tissues.
	Eggs
	Milk
	Cheese		Repair daily waste
	Peas		of tissue.
	Beans		Give heat energy.
	Gluten in flour
II. Fats	Butter
	Cream		Give heat energy.
	Fat of meats
	Cheese
	Oil in nuts
	Olive oil
	Egg yolk
	Corn oil		Produce fat.
	Seed oils
	Sugars	Cane
		Beet	Give heat energy.
		Maple
		Malt
		Sugar of milk
		Sugar of fruit
III. Carbohydrates	Starches	Cereals
		Flours
		Peas, Beans
		Corn
		Potatoes
		Some other	Produce fat.
		vegetables
	Celluloses	Vegetables	Give bulk.
		Fruits
IV. Mineral salts			Aid in formation of bone.
	Fruit acids		Enter into composition of every
			living cell and body liquids.
			Useful in the blood
			(carrier of body’s oxygen).
			Necessary to maintain
			osmotic pressure.
			Govern contraction of muscles,
			including those of the heart.
			Help to maintain neutrality of the
			blood (increase alkalinity).
			Assist in digestion.
			Assist in the removal of waste.
			Unite with harmful
	Vegetables		products found in
			body and render them harmless.
V. Water			Solvent for food.
	In all vegetables		Carries food to blood.
			Carries off waste.
			Helps to regulate temperature.
	In all animal foods		Aids digestion.
			Aids tissue building.

Overuse of Carbohydrates.—If too much sugar and starch are eaten, fermentation may take place and interfere with digestion. Too much sugar and starch overworks the liver.

Because sweet foods have the quality of satisfying the appetite very readily they should not be taken to satisfy hunger, but should rather be eaten after sufficient body building and body regulating foods have been taken to meet the body’s need for such foods. The custom of serving the sweet food at the last of the meal is in harmony with this dietetic principle.

It is important that children should form sane habits of eating sweet foods. The practice of using large amounts of sugar on cereals, cooked fruits, and in beverages should be discouraged.

The overuse of sugar irritates the lining of the digestive tract. This is caused by the abstraction of water from the mucous lining. Sugar is one-sided in its value, consequently it is much wiser to obtain a high percentage of heat from foods which serve other purposes as well.

Protein Foods.—The first class of foods, the proteins, includes those which have tissue building for their chief purpose. They are essential for maintenance and for body growth, as they are the only source of nitrogen. Therefore they are necessary for the growing child and for the athlete in the development of strong, vigorous muscles. The more easily digested protein foods are advised for the tubercular patient whose muscles and tissues have become debilitated by disease.

Proteins are required by each individual, but in varying amounts, to suit age, occupation, condition of system, and climate. The value of a mixed protein diet is urged by the best authorities rather than the diet which contains but one protein food.

Overuse of Protein Foods.—It is true that a high percentage of illness is caused by an accumulation of wastes in the body. It is also true that protein foods leave a higher percentage of waste material in the body than any other class of foods. It follows, then, that an overuse of protein foods overworks the excretory organs and tends to weaken them. The weakened excretory organs are unable to take care of the waste products, and as a result the system is affected by poisonous wastes which are produced by putrefaction in the intestines. A person in this condition is more liable to have rheumatism, gout, kidney and liver diseases than one in normal condition.

A Short Study of Protein Foods

Some common forms.	Some sources.
Albumen	Eggs
Casein	Milk
Myosin, fibrin, and elastin	Meat
Gluten	Wheat
Tuberin	Potato
Legumin	Peas and beans
Excelsin	Brazil nuts
Zein	Corn