FoodNet

Domestic science, principles and application

1914

Page 34

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
6. Thorough mastication and mixing of the food with saliva in eating is a very helpful aid to digestion. 7. Moderation, — not over-eating or eating at all hours, — is necessary in order not to exhaust the stomach or cause indigestion or other disorders of the body. 8. A pleasant frame of mind when eating, induced by pleasing surroundings, agreeable company and conversa- tion, and absence of worry, — all favor good appetite and good digestion. To have all things contribute to cheer- fulness at mealtime, is a supreme test of good housekeeping. It will be seen that those who control the selection and preparation of food have far-reaching influence on the health and, therefore, on the happiness of those whom they serve. It is the purpose of domestic science studies to teach the principles of foods and their preparation and use, and the application of those principles. LESSON 7 CARBOHYDRATES— FRUIT Definition. — Fruits, in the popular sense, are the seed vessels of plants. Composition of Fruit Fruit Protein per cent Carbohy- drate per cent Fat per cent Cellulose (crude fiber) per cent Mineral matter per cent Water per cent Apples Apricots .4 1.1 1.3 1.3 1. .4 1.5 1.3 .8 .7 1. .4 1. 1.7 1. 1. 1.6 4.7 2.4 2.1 4.3 2.8 2.1 2.6 13 13.4 21. 8.4 16.5 8.4 12.8 14.9 11.6 5.8 15.7 9.3 20.1 12.6 9.7 6. 62. 62.5 71.2 74.6 68. 66. 71.2 73.6 .5 .6 1. .8 .6 1.6 .2 .1 .5 .3 1. .6 2.2 1. 1.7 2.8 .3 5.4 3.3 1 2 1. 25 .2 1.4 43 3.6 1.5 .4 2.9 1.4 6.1 3. 3.8 6.2 6.9 2.1 2.5 3 5 8 5 6 1 5 .7 5 .5 .4 :! .5 .6 .6 .6 2.0 2.4 4.5 1.3 2.4 2.4 2.3 3.4 846 85. Bananas 753 Blackberries Cherries 86 3 80.9 Cranberries Currants 88.9 85. Grapes 77.4 Oranges 86.9 Peaches 89.4 Pears 80.9 Pineapples Plums 89.3 78.3 Black raspberries. . Red raspberries Strawberries DRIED FRUITS Apples Apricots Currants 84.1 85.8 90.4 26.1 29.4 17.2 Dates 15.4 Fics . . 18.8 Pears 16.6 Prunes Raisins 22.3 14.6 Composition. — Fresh fruits contain water (75 to 90 per cent), sugar, cellulose, acids, and salts, with very little, if any, protein or fat. When ripe, fruits contain no starch, (67) 68 DOMESTIC SCIE^-CE for the ripening process changes the starch to sugar and gums. One of the gum-Uke substances is pectin, a sub- stance in plants similar to gelatin in meat. Kinds. — There are many kinds of fruit. The most com- mon fresh fruits are apples, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, grapes, bananas, pineapples, and berries. Food Value. — Most fresh fruits are low in food value; but they refresh and cool the system and furnish us with mineral salts, of sodium, calcium, phosphorus, etc., which purify the blood. The large amount of cellulose aids digestion, as it supplies bulk to the food and excites the flow of the digestive juices. The acids which fruits contain stimulate the appetite for other food. Dried fruits have for their chief food value a high percentage of sugar. The common dried fruits are prunes (dried plums), raisins (dried grapes), figs, dates, apricots, and apples. Rules for Eating Fruit. — 1. Use only sound, ripe fruit. Unripe fruit is not digestible, unless cooked, and overripe fruit is of inferior flavor and is apt to interfere with diges- tion. 2. Fruit from street venders should not be used, as it is nearly always too ripe and unclean.