Water. Water is an important component
of the body. Life can be maintained many
days without other food if water is supplied.
But if water is not taken in some form, the
amount of it in the body tissues and fluids is
lowered markedly below the normal amount,
and death soon results. Water serves several
^important functions: (1) it aids in digestion
and absorption of foodstuffs; (2) it serves as
a vehicle for the transportation of absorbed
food to the various parts of the body; (3) it
aids in elimination of waste from the intes¬
tinal tract; (4) it is a means of elimination of
soluble waste products through the urine;
and (5) it regulates body temperature
through evaporation from the surface of the
body. Normal consumption of water is de¬
sirable for the functions named above, and
any wide variation from this is to be avoided.
Normally thirst will guide the intake of
water, but it is wise to form habits of drink¬
ing water which will assure a sufficient quan¬
tity. It usually is recommended that 6-8
cups of liquid be consumed each day in addi¬
tion to that contained in the solid food¬
stuffs. More is required in hot weather when
perspiration is abundant. Water taken at
mealtimes, if not too cold, and not used as a
means of washing down food, is beneficial to
digestion and absorption of food. Water
drinking should not be limited to mealtime,
however, and the habit of drinking water at
regular intervals between meals should be
formed.
Protein. After water, protein is the nu¬
tritive constituent present in the largest
amounts in body tissues and the one whose
importance has been most stressed. Protein
in some form is an essential part of all body
tissues and fluids. It is not so abundantly
available as water, nor is there an indicator
comparable to thirst to show when the supply
of body protein is low.
Proteins from different sources vary in use¬
fulness in supplying body needs. Animal
proteins are in general more efficient than
those of vegetable origin, since they yield the
amino acids in more nearly correct propor¬
tions for building body tissues. Individuals
require more protein per unit of body
weight during periods of growth than after
growth has been completed. More is re¬
quired after wasting illnesses, surgical opera¬
tions, burns, and other injuries. The body
has no means of storing an excess of protein,
but tends to excrete the nitrogenous portion
and to use the remainder for energy. The
amount needed should be supplied in the
food each day.
Minerals. The mineral constituents of
the body are present in largest amounts in
the bones or the structural portions of the
body. They are present also in varying pro¬
portions in all body cells and fluids, contrib¬
uting to them their characteristic reactions.
While too few data are available as yet to
make possible exact calculation of the require¬
ments for all the essential mineral elements,
recommended allowances have been estab¬
lished for calcium, phosphorus, and iron (see
Table LXVII). Potassium, sulfur, sodium
chlorine, and magnesium are so abundantly
available in foods that any accurate check of
the amount supplied by the diet is unneces¬
sary. Iodine is present in required amounts
in natural foods in some areas. Where the
soil is deficient in this mineral, as it is in many
sections of the country, the use of iodized
salt is recommended (see page 350).
Page 10
Presented as published in 1935. 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
Water. Water is an important component of the body. Life can be maintained many days without other food if water is supplied. But if water is not taken in some form, the amount of it in the body tissues and fluids is lowered markedly below the normal amount, and death soon results. Water serves several important functions: (1) it aids in digestion and absorption of foodstuffs; (2) it serves as a vehicle for the transportation of absorbed food to the various parts of the body; (3) it aids in elimination of waste from the intestinal tract; (4) it is a means of elimination of soluble waste products through the urine; and (5) it regulates body temperature through evaporation from the surface of the body. Normal consumption of water is desirable for the functions named above, and any wide variation from this is to be avoided.
Normally thirst will guide the intake of water, but it is wise to form habits of drinking water which will assure a sufficient quantity. It usually is recommended that 6-8 cups of liquid be consumed each day in addi¬ tion to that contained in the solid food¬ stuffs. More is required in hot weather when perspiration is abundant. Water taken at mealtimes, if not too cold, and not used as a means of washing down food, is beneficial to digestion and absorption of food. Water drinking should not be limited to mealtime, however, and the habit of drinking water at regular intervals between meals should be formed.
Protein. After water, protein is the nutritive constituent present in the largest
amounts in body tissues and the one whose importance has been most stressed. Protein in some form is an essential part of all body tissues and fluids. It is not so abundantly available as water, nor is there an indicator comparable to thirst to show when the supply of body protein is low.
Proteins from different sources vary in use¬ fulness in supplying body needs. Animal proteins are in general more efficient than those of vegetable origin, since they yield the amino acids in more nearly correct propor¬ tions for building body tissues. Individuals require more protein per unit of body weight during periods of growth than after growth has been completed. More is re¬ quired after wasting illnesses, surgical opera¬ tions, burns, and other injuries. The body has no means of storing an excess of protein, but tends to excrete the nitrogenous portion and to use the remainder for energy. The amount needed should be supplied in the food each day.
Minerals. The mineral constituents of the body are present in largest amounts in the bones or the structural portions of the body. They are present also in varying pro¬ portions in all body cells and fluids, contrib¬ uting to them their characteristic reactions.
While too few data are available as yet to make possible exact calculation of the require¬ ments for all the essential mineral elements, recommended allowances have been estab¬ lished for calcium, phosphorus, and iron (see Table LXVII). Potassium, sulfur, sodium chlorine, and magnesium are so abundantly available in foods that any accurate check of the amount supplied by the diet is unneces¬ sary. Iodine is present in required amounts in natural foods in some areas. Where the soil is deficient in this mineral, as it is in many sections of the country, the use of iodized salt is recommended (see page 350).