All the varieties of food with which we are supplied will
be found to contain some of these substances : protein, fat,
carbohydrate, mineral matter, water ; and to these we give
the name foodstuffs. Some food materials (like the milk
and beans just studied) contain all the foodstuffs, some only
one, as in the case of sugar. We can now define food as
something that contains one or more of the substances
known as foodstuffs. But what are the foodstuffs them-
selves?
Elements in the foodstuffs. — Although we are not
chemists, and may not even have taken a course in chemistry,
iTeacher*8 Note. — The term "foodstuff" is used in place of "food
principle," as being the later and better term.
8 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
yet through our nature study or physiology lessons, we are
familiar with the fact that all the materials about us, in-
cluding our own bodies and our food, are made up of simple
substances that we call " elements." We know, for instance,
that coal is chiefly carbon, and we are familiar with such sub-
stances as sulphur, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. We
know that the air contains oxygen, which we inhale, and
that we breathe out a combination of carbon and oxygen
called " carbon dioxide." Since our bodies are composed
of these and other elements, these elements must be supplied
by our foods, and therefore, the foodstuffs in turn are com-
posed of these same elements.
Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates all contain large amounts
of carbon, and on this account are called fuel foods. But
proteins are distinguished because they contain nitrogen in
addition, which is found in no other foodstuff. Sulphur,
too, we get only from protein, but we need less of it than of
nitrogen, so we think about the nitrogen and let the sulphur
take care of itself. The nitrogen that we draw in from the
air with every breath, we breathe out again without being
able to use it. This element is necessary to every living cell,
but we can make it ours only through our protein food.
Nitrogen is cheapest when obtained from the grains, from
dried beans and peas. We pay a higher price for it in milk,
eggs, fish, meat, and nuts. Carbon, which is found in all
foodstuffs except water and some kinds of mineral matter,
costs much less, especially when we take it in the form of
carbohydrates such as starches and sugars. Oxygen is also
abundant in our foods, but we get it even more cheaply in
water and by breathing it in from the air. Phosphorus,
iron, and calcium are very important elements, but we do
not need them in very large quantities. We can get them
cheaply in whole grains, peas and beans, some fruits and
FOOD MATERIALS AND FOODSTUFFS 9
green vegetables, but they are worth paying for in milk and
eggs. The elements last mentioned are present in the food
partly as constituents of certain proteins and fats, partly
as mineral salts. Other elements found as mineral matter
are sodium and chlorine (which we take as common salt),
potassium, magnesium, and traces of iodine and fluorine.
These are all necessary to keep our bodies in good working
order. We shall see later how to select our food materials
so as to have all the different elements in the foodstuffs
present in sufficient amounts.
Functions of the Foodstuffs
Page 8
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
All the varieties of food with which we are supplied will be found to contain some of these substances : protein, fat, carbohydrate, mineral matter, water ; and to these we give the name foodstuffs. Some food materials (like the milk and beans just studied) contain all the foodstuffs, some only one, as in the case of sugar. We can now define food as something that contains one or more of the substances known as foodstuffs. But what are the foodstuffs themselves?
Elements in the foodstuffs. — Although we are not chemists, and may not even have taken a course in chemistry,
iTeacher*8 Note. — The term "foodstuff" is used in place of "food principle," as being the later and better term.
yet through our nature study or physiology lessons, we are familiar with the fact that all the materials about us, including our own bodies and our food, are made up of simple substances that we call " elements." We know, for instance, that coal is chiefly carbon, and we are familiar with such substances as sulphur, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. We know that the air contains oxygen, which we inhale, and that we breathe out a combination of carbon and oxygen called " carbon dioxide." Since our bodies are composed of these and other elements, these elements must be supplied by our foods, and therefore, the foodstuffs in turn are composed of these same elements.
Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates all contain large amounts of carbon, and on this account are called fuel foods. But proteins are distinguished because they contain nitrogen in addition, which is found in no other foodstuff. Sulphur, too, we get only from protein, but we need less of it than of nitrogen, so we think about the nitrogen and let the sulphur take care of itself. The nitrogen that we draw in from the air with every breath, we breathe out again without being able to use it. This element is necessary to every living cell, but we can make it ours only through our protein food. Nitrogen is cheapest when obtained from the grains, from dried beans and peas. We pay a higher price for it in milk, eggs, fish, meat, and nuts. Carbon, which is found in all foodstuffs except water and some kinds of mineral matter, costs much less, especially when we take it in the form of carbohydrates such as starches and sugars. Oxygen is also abundant in our foods, but we get it even more cheaply in water and by breathing it in from the air. Phosphorus, iron, and calcium are very important elements, but we do not need them in very large quantities. We can get them cheaply in whole grains, peas and beans, some fruits and
green vegetables, but they are worth paying for in milk and eggs. The elements last mentioned are present in the food partly as constituents of certain proteins and fats, partly as mineral salts. Other elements found as mineral matter are sodium and chlorine (which we take as common salt), potassium, magnesium, and traces of iodine and fluorine. These are all necessary to keep our bodies in good working order. We shall see later how to select our food materials so as to have all the different elements in the foodstuffs present in sufficient amounts.
Functions of the Foodstuffs