Predigested Foods. Some foods are claimed to be partly digested and thus valuable for those with weak stomachs, but breakfast foods are largely starch and the gastric juices are not active in the digestion of starch. It is digested by saliva and the ferment diastase in the intestines. (Diastase is a ferment of saliva and pancreatic juice, which changes starch into dextrin and maltose, in which form it is more easily acted upon by the intestinal juices.)
Experiments with “predigested” foods do not show a larger proportion of dextrin, however, than would naturally be produced by the heating of the starch, as these foods are being cooked at home. The natural cooking at home makes starch more or less soluble, or at least gelatinized. As a result of these experiments, therefore the “predigested” argument is not given much weight.
Predigested foods, excepting in cases so weak as to be under the direction of a physician, are not desirable. Nature requires every organ to do the work intended for it, in order to keep up its strength, just as she requires exercise for the arms or legs to keep them strong. If an organ is weak, the cause must be found and corrected,—perhaps the stomach or intestines need more blood which should be supplied through exercise; or perhaps the nerves need relaxation; or the stomach less food; or food at more regular intervals.
Another argument against predigested foods lies in the fact that dentists hold that the chewing of coarse food is necessary to keep the teeth strong. For this strengthening of the teeth, children are given dry crackers and dry toast each day.
In the so-called “predigested” or “malted” preparations, malt is added while they are being cooked. Malt is a ferment made from some grain, usually from barley, the grain being allowed to germinate until the ferment diastase is developed.
There is no doubt that a number of foods, containing malt are valuable in the hands of physicians to assist in converting starch into dextrin or sugar, where diastase is not formed in sufficient quantity, just as pepsin is an aid in the digestion of protein,—but eaten indiscriminately, there can be no question that it is more important for the stomach and intestines to perform their natural work and thus keep their strength through normal exercise.
While they are not “predigested,” as claimed, they are, as a rule, wholesome and nutritious. They are cleanly, and made from good, sound grain and they contain no harmful ingredients. Some contain “middlings,” molasses, glucose and similar materials, but these are in no way injurious and have value as foods. The dry, crisp, ready-to-eat foods are especially advantageous because of the mastication they require,—this mastication insuring plenty of saliva being mixed with them to aid in digestion. A dish of such dry breakfast food, well masticated, together with an egg, to furnish a larger proportion of protein, makes a wholesome breakfast.
Cracked Wheat. In America wheat is seldom used whole. In England the whole grain, with the bran left on, is slightly crushed and served as cracked wheat or wheat grits.
Wheat is also rolled, or flaked, or shredded. The majority of wheat breakfast foods contain a part of the middlings and many of them bran. Farina and gluten preparations do not contain these, however.