Foods and household management

Composition and nutritive value. — The chief foodstuffs in fruits are carbohydrates and mineral matter. Fresh fruit contains from 75 to 95 per cent of water, and its presence is apparent in such juicy fruits as the melon and the orange. Figure 25 shows that seemingly dry fruits like the banana and the apple also contain much water. Even fruits which have been artificially dried, like prunes and raisins, contain I 87 1 88 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT U. S. Department of Aoriculture Office of Experiment Stations A. C. True: Director Prepared by C. F. LAN6W0RTHY Expert in Charge of Nutrition Investioations COMPOSITION OF FOOD MATERIALS. nnnm e^ Protein Fat Carbohydrate* APPLE EDIBLE PORTION Ash Water Fuel Value KeSq. In. Equal* 1000 Calories DRIED FIG EDIBLE PORTION Water:84.6 Protein:0.4 Fat:0.5 Protein:4.3 Carbohyclrates:14.2 Ash:0.3 Carbohydrates: 74.2 Fuel VALUE: c 290 CALORIES PER POUND Fuel VALUE: 1 475 CALORIES PER POUND STRAWBERRY EDIBLE PORTION BANANA EDIBLE PORTION Water:75.3 Water:90.4 Fat:0.6 Carbohydrate8:7.4 Protein:!. 0 ■A hO 6 Carbohydrates: 22.0 Fuel VALUE: D 180 CALORIES PER POUND Fuel VALUE: C 460 CALORIES PER POUND FiQ. 25. — Composition of fruit. FRVIT AND ITS PRESERVATION COMPOSITION OF FOOD MATERIALS. C Fio. 26. — Campoaition of fruit. 90 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT some water. (Fig. 26.) Although the carbohydrates of fruits are largely in the form of sugars easily digested and valuable as fuel, this kind of food b especially valuable for its rich supply of ash, including the compoimds of calcium, magne- sium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. The iron is of great importance, being in a form much more useful to the normal A. CMUfT, FHouera Fio. 27.- 100-Calorie portions of fresh and dried fruit. ElND ■ Wbiohto POBTIOK Kind W.ianr of Po Apple . , Bsuna .. Orange. . P«an . . '. '. 10.5 ... 6.3 ApricoU .... 1.3 D.la 1,1 Pninei 1.4 IUi»ni 1.1 processes of the body than that prescribed medicinally. The bulk given by cellulose, and the laxative property of fruit acids also are safeguards against constipation, especially in a meat diet. Fruit is the best possible dessert after a hearty meat dinner. I The digestibility of fruit is increased for some people by cooking. This is probably due to the softening of the fiber, to the destruction of any bacteria present, and in the case of the banana, to the cooking of the starch. Fruit juice can FKUIT AND ITS PRESERVATION 91 be taken by little children and invalids who might find the fiber troublesome. Some people cannot eat berries on ac- count of irritation caused by the seeds. In this case, juice may be squeezed from cooked berries and used for beverages and jelly.