A Concentrated Fuel

Fat makes up an important part of the dietary. It is fuel for the body in a concentrated form. It contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and, with the carbohydrates, furnishes heat and energy* in its oxidation in the body.

How Much Fat?

Ordinarily about 1/4 to 1/3 of the food supply should be fat or from 600 to 800 calories. Under conditions where the body fires need to burn more brightly, as in cold climates or in excessive exercise, the body needs more fuel and so can utilize and take care of more of this concentrated food.†

An Excess

However, the menu of the average family contains much more of this food element than the 1/3 given as the normal proportion. Instead of 600 or 800 calories, the amount usually runs up to more than 1000 calories. Four hundred to 600 food units of butter alone may be daily consumed by the one who, not realizing the need for a more nearly balanced ration, carelessly follows his inclination in this respect. When to this is added the fatty seasonings in the other foods served, the normal fat content of such foods as olives and nuts, legumes and grains, cream and milk, the excess of fat not only tends to bring the total food ration far above the normal, but often overwhelms the digestive tract and tissues with an amount of fat far exceeding the ability of the body to properly utilize and eliminate.

*The three common classes of fat are, stearin, palmatin and olein. Stearin (C 57 H110O6) makes up a large part of beef and mutton tallow, and having a higher melting point than the other fats, is in a solid form at ordinary temperatures. Palmatin (C51 H98 O6) is found in human fat, in all animal fats and to an extent in vegetable fats. Olein (C57 H10 O6), having a low melting point and so in the form of oils, is found to a greater extent in vegetable fats as in olive and cotton seed oils.

†Recent scientific investigation goes to show that of the vita-mines essential for life some are soluble in fat and of the fats included in the diet some should be in such form as to ensure the provision of this valuable vitamine. (See chapter IX (Vitamines), page 83).

Average Per Capita

Recent calculations show that the average consumption of fat per capita a day in the U. S. is 150 grams, which equals 1350 calories daily. (See page 29.) While Hoover reports that during his two years' experience in Belgium the ration allowed contained 40 grams or 360 calories of fat, 60 grams or 240 calories of protein and 300 grams or 1200 calories of carbohydrate, making a total of 1800 food units daily. This was found entirely sufficient for the entire population except for adolescent children, for whom an extra allowance of fat was made. Surely the difference between the 360 fat units actually required and the 1350 used by the American people represents a great excess in the use of this kind of food.

Fat Free And Combined

Fat is supplied to us in two forms: free fat and combined. Combined fat is found in nuts, olives, grains and in legumes, especially the soy bean. It is also found in other vegetables and in some fruits, as the alligator pear. Fat is not found in nature as a free fat, but by mechanical processes can be isolated. So we have butter, oils, free animal fats as suet, tallow, lard, etc. The fat of cream is in an emulsified form and is not a free fat until it is made into butter.

Tht fat-soluble vitamine (See Chapter IX (Vitamines)) is found in milk, eggs, and butter, and also in green vegetables. In this respect it becomes largely a question of quality rather than of quantity, and while vegetables can not be said to supply fat to any great extent, yet they contain a sufficient amount to hold in solution this valuable vitamine.

Taking a hint from nature it would seem that the plan was not for our food to contain fat in a free state, but in a form which could more readily mix with the digestive juices.

Digestion Hindered

In the stomach an excess of free fat, by lubricating the food and thus preventing its mechanical action, hinders the flow of gastric juice and also interferes with the thorough mixture of the digestive fluid with the stomach contents.

All free fat must be thoroughly emulsified before it can be digested or before the digestion of other food elements can be accomplished. This process of emulsification takes place in the intestine and until it is accomplished all digestion is to a greater or less degree hindered. This is particularly true of protein. The oily coating about the protein particles hinders the action of intestinal fluids on the protein, thus furnishing another factor in the causation of intestinal putrefaction and auto-intoxication. This stagnation also allows the fat itself to become rancid, producing products irritating to the mucous lining.

Fat Metabolism

After fat is digested and absorbed it should be completely oxidized into carbon dioxide (C O2) and water (H2 0) with resulting heat production and, as carbon dioxide and water, eliminated through the lungs, skin and kidneys. If more fat is ingested than can be oxidized into C O2 and H2 O, one of two things happens: either the excess is laid up as fat in the tissues with perhaps resulting obesity, or an attempt is made to throw off the excess in an imperfectly oxidized form and again we have a "stove that smokes".

Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are combinations of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen into which the complex fat molecule is broken up on its way to complete disintegration. To an extent they are formed normally in the process of fat digestion. Abnormally they are formed when fats become rancid either on the pantry shelf or in the digestive tract as the result of delayed digestion. The subjection of fats to extreme heat as in frying also results in the formation of fatty acids.

Eczema Pimples Catarrh

If in connection with metabolism the oxidation of fats is incomplete, the process often stops at the fatty acid stage and in this form the body seeks to eliminate them.* The excretion of these products of an imperfect metabolism takes place through the skin and mucous membranes and, because of their irritating action, they increase the tendency of a susceptible skin to eczema, acne, pimples, boils, etc., and of the mucous membranes to catarrh.

This result is often made the more probable because of the accompanying intoxication resulting from the intestinal stasis (stoppage) brought on or increased by the presence of a large amount of free fat in the intestinal canal.

Frying

These conditions of irritation are increased if before fats are eaten they are broken up by heat into these same fatty acids, as happens in most frying and cooking at extreme heat.† This decomposes the fat so that it at once manifests its irritating properties as it reaches the delicate lining of the stomach; and at the same time the coating of fat which the food receives in frying greatly hinders the mixing of the gastric juice with the food particles.

The Ideal

So it is important that in our dietetic program which is to make for health our plan should be, first - to properly balance our daily fat ration, second - to eat the minimum amount of free fat and, third - to eliminate as far as possible the use of fried or greasy foods. An ample amount of fat can be supplied the body in the form of olives and nuts and in other combined forms without the use of fat in a free state. It should be remembered that the fat taken in olives can be utilized by the body to much better advantage than if taken as olive oil. For those who need for a time an extra amount of concentrated food, cream may be taken with advantage, but this can easily be overdone.

♦This excess of fatty acids in the blood may be a factor in the production of a lessened alkalinity of the body fluids, often spoken of as acidosis. (See page 27).

†The peanut as it is ordinarily prepared for the market loses much of its dietetic value. The roasting at a high temperature to a certain extent decomposes the fat of the nut, thus lessening its digestibility. Peanuts would serve a better purpose as a food if they were prepared by boiling or baking as are other legumes.

Whenever fat is used as seasoning it is much better to add it after the food has been removed from the fire so that it may not be subjected to intense heat. The addition of fat to vegetables greatly lessens their digestibility and if cooked property, it is surprising how palatable such foods may be without the addition of butter or oil. (See recipe number 51, Chapter XXII).

It is a fact worthy of mention that the vegetable oils, especially olive oil, are not so quickly broken up into fatty acids as are animal fats, more particularly butter. Butter being rather unstable, quickly becomes rancid and soon decomposes when subjected to heat. For this reason it is not ideal for the seasoning of cooked foods and should be used carefully. This with the fact that disease of animals is rapidly on the increase makes the question of the free use of butter one not only of economy, but also of health.

To Fry Without Grease

Instead of the excessive use of fats and oils in frying, equally satisfactory results may be obtained by braising or broiling using only enough fat to slightly oil the pan.

Even an egg may be "fried" without grease by dropping it on a perfectly smooth hot iron skillet or on a soapstone griddle.

With a little interest and care we will find it possible and quite as easy to prepare our foods in a way that will yield results in added health, and at the same time satisfy the most epicurean taste.