Fruits are valuable for their appetizing
quality. They are important sources of
minerals and vitamins in the diet. Few fruits
can be recommended as inexpensive or good
sources of either energy or protein.
Flavor and aroma are important in the
diet. Appetizing odors and flavors stimulate
the consumption of food and at the same
time start the flow of the digestive juices re¬
quired for digestion. Fruits are valuable ap¬
petizers and may be used fittingly at either
the beginning or the end of a meal.
Fruits are among the best sources of
minerals in the diet. Not only are fruits use¬
ful for the amounts and kinds of minerals
present, but also for the forms in which these
nutrients appear. The basic elements, es¬
pecially potassium, are present in fruit in
combination with organic acids, usually malic
or citric. The organic acids present in fruit
with the exception of oxalic and benzoic acid
are readily oxidized or burned in the body,
releasing the potassium, sodium, or calcium
with which they are combined. These ele¬
ments are important in maintaining the
normal alkalinity of the body fluids. It seems
strange that acid-tasting fruits yield an alka¬
line residue in the body, but the compounds
which give the acid flavor to the fruits are
acid salts of organic acids. The organic por¬
tion of these compounds burns, leaving be¬
hind free basic elements.
Some fruits contain small amounts of
oxalic and benzoic acids, forms not burned in
the body. In these cases the acid residues can
combine with additional basic elements in
the body and in so doing tend to take from
the body fluids more basic elements than
originally were present in the fruit. Cran¬
berries and prunes contain such acids and
may be acid-forming rather than base-
forming.
The vitamins in fruits are especially im¬
portant. All fruits contain some vitamin C,
some much more than others. This vitamin
is unstable to heat, so that any fruit makes
its maximum contribution to the diet when
used raw. The yellow fruits are good sources
of vitamin A. None of the fruits are im¬
portant as sources of the B vitamins.
Fruits in the diet are an aid to normal
elimination. They provide bulk in the form
of cellulose which is nonirritating and tends
to hold water, and are especially useful in
preventing constipation. At the same time,
the mineral acids present in fruits may have
a direct laxative effect.
SELECTION AND BUYING
It is usual to find many kinds of fresh
fruits on the market at all seasons of the year.
Local supplies are available in season. Mod¬
ern methods of production, storage, and
transportation have extended the season for
all fruits, and made it possible to ship even
the more perishable varieties to distant
markets. Citrus fruits, avocados, different
varieties of grapes, apples, melons, pears,
pineapples, and even strawberries are now
available almost every month of the year.
The short-season fruits are available at times
of the year when the less perishable fruits are
in low supply. With such a variety from
which to select, the consumer must decide
[49]
what kind to buy, and how to choose the
kind he wants.
The kind should be selected with the
family’s needs in mind. (See page 20.)
Within groups, choice is determined by the
use to which the fruit is to be put, the variety
and size best for that use, the quality, and
the price.
Page 45
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
Fruits are valuable for their appetizing quality. They are important sources of minerals and vitamins in the diet. Few fruits can be recommended as inexpensive or good sources of either energy or protein.
Flavor and aroma are important in the diet. Appetizing odors and flavors stimulate the consumption of food and at the same time start the flow of the digestive juices re¬ quired for digestion. Fruits are valuable ap¬ petizers and may be used fittingly at either the beginning or the end of a meal.
Fruits are among the best sources of minerals in the diet. Not only are fruits use¬ ful for the amounts and kinds of minerals present, but also for the forms in which these nutrients appear. The basic elements, es¬ pecially potassium, are present in fruit in combination with organic acids, usually malic or citric. The organic acids present in fruit with the exception of oxalic and benzoic acid are readily oxidized or burned in the body, releasing the potassium, sodium, or calcium with which they are combined. These ele¬ ments are important in maintaining the normal alkalinity of the body fluids. It seems strange that acid-tasting fruits yield an alka¬ line residue in the body, but the compounds which give the acid flavor to the fruits are acid salts of organic acids. The organic por¬
tion of these compounds burns, leaving be¬ hind free basic elements.
Some fruits contain small amounts of oxalic and benzoic acids, forms not burned in the body. In these cases the acid residues can combine with additional basic elements in the body and in so doing tend to take from the body fluids more basic elements than originally were present in the fruit. Cran¬ berries and prunes contain such acids and may be acid-forming rather than baseforming.
The vitamins in fruits are especially im¬ portant. All fruits contain some vitamin C, some much more than others. This vitamin is unstable to heat, so that any fruit makes its maximum contribution to the diet when used raw. The yellow fruits are good sources of vitamin A. None of the fruits are im¬ portant as sources of the B vitamins.
Fruits in the diet are an aid to normal elimination. They provide bulk in the form of cellulose which is nonirritating and tends to hold water, and are especially useful in preventing constipation. At the same time, the mineral acids present in fruits may have a direct laxative effect.
It is usual to find many kinds of fresh fruits on the market at all seasons of the year. Local supplies are available in season. Mod¬ ern methods of production, storage, and transportation have extended the season for all fruits, and made it possible to ship even the more perishable varieties to distant markets. Citrus fruits, avocados, different varieties of grapes, apples, melons, pears, pineapples, and even strawberries are now available almost every month of the year. The short-season fruits are available at times of the year when the less perishable fruits are in low supply. With such a variety from which to select, the consumer must decide
[49]
what kind to buy, and how to choose the kind he wants.
The kind should be selected with the family’s needs in mind. (See page 20.) Within groups, choice is determined by the use to which the fruit is to be put, the variety and size best for that use, the quality, and the price.