While they are not “predigested,” as claimed, these foods 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 insures 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.
Cereal Coffees
According to investigations made by the United States Agriculture Experiment Station, cereal coffees are made of parched grains. A few contain a little true coffee, but for the most part they are made of parched wheat, barley, etc., or of grain mixed with wheat middlings, pea hulls, or corn cobs. There is no objection to any of these mixtures providing they are clean. The cereal coffees, as seen by Table [VII], contain no more nourishment than the true coffee, but they are probably more easily digested; only a very little of the soluble starch passes into the water unless the kernel is ground. Coffee and tea are not taken for their nutrition, but for their stimulating effect on the nerves; and, if stimulation is desired, the cereal coffees fall short.
TABLE VII
Composition of Cereal-Coffee Infusion and Other Beverages
| KIND OF BEVERAGE | Water | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrates | Fuel Value per pound |
| Commercial cereal coffee (0.5 ounce to 1 pint water) | 98.2 | 0.2 | .... | 1.4 | 30 |
| Parched corn coffee (1.6 ounces to 1 pint water) | 99.5 | 0.2 | .... | 0.5 | 13 |
| Oatmeal water (1 ounce to 1 pint water) | 99.7 | 0.3 | .... | 0.3 | 11 |
| Coffee (1 ounce to 1 pint water) | 98.9 | 0.2 | .... | 0.7 | 16 |
| Tea (0.5 ounce to 1 pint water) | 99.5 | 0.2 | .... | 0.6 | 15 |
| Chocolate (0.5 ounce to 1 pint milk) | 84.5 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 365 |
| Cocoa (0.5 ounce to 1 pint water) | 97.1 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 65 |
| Skimmed milk | 88.8 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 5.4 | 170 |
By reference to Table [VII] it will be seen that cocoa and skimmed milk contain much more nutrition than any of the coffees. The chief value of cereal coffees is that they furnish a warm drink with the meal. They should not be too hot.
Barley or wheat, mixed with a little molasses, parched in the oven, and then ground, makes a mixture similar to the cereal coffee.
The old-fashioned crust coffee is just as nutritious as any of the coffees and has the advantage of being cheaper.