FoodNet

Food and freedom

1918

Page 29

Presented as published in 1918. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The nutritive value of food — that is, the carbohy- drate, fat, and protein elements — can be measured very accurately in terms of the energy or heat it is capable of liberating in the body. The unit of this measure is named a Calorie. The amount of heat given off during the ''com- bustion" or ''oxidation" of food is a measure of the energy value of that food. Scientists can measure this heat very accurately by burning the food in a specially constructed apparatus called a *' calorimeter." The calorie is the unit of measure. 1 See Kellogg and Taylor, The Food Problem, chaps, v, vi, vii. Also "Ten Lessons on Food Conservation," United States Food Administration, p. 46. 66 FOOD AND FREEDOM One calorie is "about equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water four degrees Fahrenheit." It is now known that every portion or pound of food contains a certain number of calories or fuel units, the number varying according to the chemical com- position of the food. The number of calories a given portion or weight of food contains is called its "fuel value," or its "calorie value." Some foods, in a given quantity, are capable of liberating much energy, and contain, therefore, many calories; they are said to be high in fuel value, and are called concentrated foods. Other foods, weight for weight, do not liberate as much energy, do not, therefore, contain as many calories, and are said to be low in fuel value; they are called hulk foods, and contain a large propor- tion of water and indigestible matter. The fuel or calorie value of some common foods is illustrated as follows: ^ I pound of butter 3,605 calories I pound of cheese, American 2,055 " I pound of sugar 1,860 " I pound of wheat flour 1,660 " I pound of lean beef, about 900 " 1 pint of milk (one pound) 320 " 2 medium slices bread 100 " * See Bulletin 28, United States Department of Agricult- ure. Also, Fisher and Fisk, How to Live, pp. 170-190. Also, Rose, Feeding the Family, Appendix. IMPORTANT FOOD FACTS ej 3 plain crackers (large) loo calories I banana loo I tablespoonful olive oil loo I head lettuce (large) loo I cupful orange juice loo I egg 75 I apple or pear 75 It is also known that the body requires a certain or definite number of calories in a day, and that this number depends largely upon age, sex, size, and mus- cular activity. For example, approximately figured : ^ Laborer — hardwork 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day Soldier's ration. . . . 3,500 to 4,500 '' Farmer 3, 500 to 4,000 " Businessman 2,500 to 3,000 " Active woman 2,200 to 3,000 " Boy of sixteen 2,600 to 3,200 " Girl of sixteen 2,300 to 2,800 " Child of four 1,400 about " Seventy, or over . . . 1,800 about *' The calorie requirement of an individual may be very fairly estimated according to age, height, weight, in relation to the day's activity. For ex- ample, approximately figured : ^ The calorie requirement of an individual when sleeping or resting is 12 calories per pound — normal body weight ' — per day. ^ See William Tibbies, Food in Health and Disease^ chap. iv. Also, Graham Lusk, Basis of Nutrition, chap. ii. Also, Kellogg and Taylor, The Food Problem, chaps, v, vi. Also, Rose, Feeding the Family, chaps, iii, iv, x, xi, xiv, * Ibid. 3 See tables on p. 247. 68 FOOD AND FREEDOM