One hundred and forty-eight analyses of 112 brands of hard breads, biscuits, rusks, cakes and other bakery products are included. Eight brands of Luftbrot, or aerated bread, are reported; two of these contained from 9 to 12 per cent. of carbohydrates, one 20 per cent., two from 31 to 33, and the other three from 44 to 54 per cent.
A number of the brands of rolls, biscuits, breads, etc., showed satisfactorily low percentages of carbohydrates, thirty-five samples containing from 1 to 25 per cent., forty-four samples containing from 35 to 55 per cent., and forty-one over 55 per cent., seven of the latter exceeding 72 per cent.
The cost of the Luft breads ranged from 71 cents to $2.33 per pound. Biscuits, containing 11 per cent. or less of carbohydrates, cost from 72 cents to $3 per pound. A number of brands, containing from 43 to 77 per cent., cost from $3 to $3.60 per pound. Even the cheaper preparations, containing from 50 to 77 per cent., no better, and in some cases even worse, for the diabetic’s use than ordinary bread, cost from 30 to 41 cents per pound.
Fourteen samples of breakfast-foods were analyzed, five of which contained from 44 to 54 per cent. of carbohydrates, somewhat lower percentages than normal. Seven of the ten brands of recommended macaroni, noodles, etc., contained over 70 per cent. of carbohydrates, the other three from 42 to 51 per cent.
The analyses are given of fourteen samples of peanut butter, five of almond paste and butter, two of pine-nuts, one of almonds and ten of miscellaneous nut foods. As was to be expected, most of these preparations proved to be suitable diabetic foods. The peanut butters contained from 12 to 20 per cent. of carbohydrates, with an average of 15 per cent. The three almond pastes contained from 30 to 40 per cent., one showing an addition of 11 per cent. cornstarch. The two almond butters contained only 7 and 8 per cent., the pine-nuts from 3 to 8 per cent., and the almonds 16 per cent. The other nut preparations contained from 6 to 44 per cent. carbohydrates.
Seven brands of diabetic chocolates contained from 10 to 50 per cent. carbohydrates, while four cocoas contained from 21 to 51 per cent. The chocolates cost from $1.63 to $2.06 per pound, and the cocoas were similarly expensive.
Two sugar-free milks were examined which were true to name, containing only the merest traces of carbohydrates. One “diabetic” baking-powder examined contained no starch, another brand from 14 to 16 per cent. Various jams, preserves and other fruit products were examined which contained from 1.24 to 7 per cent. of invert sugar, percentages far below the normal. A currant-juice contained only 0.85 per cent. of invert sugar. Four of the fruit preparations were artificially colored with a coal-tar dye—a permitted color to be sure, but seemingly quite out of place in foods intended primarily for the use of invalids.
As already stated, the main purpose of this investigation was not so much to detect fraud as to secure information which would be of benefit to the diabetic and to the physician who seeks foods suitable for a low carbohydrate diet. In the accompanying tabulations a summary is given of the brands, sold as diabetic foods, which showed less than 35 per cent. of carbohydrates, arranged in the order of their carbohydrate[149] content. A date in parentheses following a brand name signifies that the brand named showed variations in different years; in other cases, in which the agreement was close, the results have been averaged.
BRANDS SHOWING UNDER 5 PER CENT. OF CARBOHYDRATES