Balanced Ration

It is by no means a matter of indifference whether the proteid be derived from any one of these food materials, or from a mixture of different ones. The other food ingredients present must be taken into account. For example, the three pounds of bread would furnish also more than a pound and a half of carbohydrates, a great excess of the required amount. The meat would vary in fat, but estimating the per cent as twenty, the pound and a half would yield four and eight-tenths ounces, more than would be required for the day. The quantities used of these different foods must then be so adjusted that the nutrients will be in approximately the right proportion. The deciding upon these different quantities from the percentage composition of the food is the essential point in calculating dietaries.

Composition Of The Edible Portion Of Some Common Foods

Ash, per cent.

Water, per cent.

Proteid, per cent.

Fat, per cent.

Carbohydrates, per cent.

Calories, per lb.

Milk.....................

0 7

87.0

3.3

4.0

5 0

325

Butter.............

3.0

11.0

1.0

85.0

..

3,605

Cheese ........

3.8

34.0

25.9

33.7

2.4

1,950

Eggs......................

1.0

73.7

13.4

10 5

..

720

Beef (sirloin).........

1.0

61.3

19.0

19.1

..

1,155

Beef(round)...

1 1

65 5

-20.3

13.6

....

950

Mutton (leg).....

1.0

63.2

18.7

17.5

..

1,085

Fowl...

1.0

63.7

19.3

16 3

..

1,045

Cod (boneless salt) .

19.0

55.0

27.3

0.3

..

490

Cod (fresh)..........

0.9

82.5

16.7

0.3

..

325

Oysters............

1.1

88.3

6 0

1.3

3.3

230

Apples..................

0.3

84.6

0.4

0.5

13.0

290

Bananas......

0.5

75.3

1.3

0.6

21 0

460

Sugar...

..

..

...

..

100.0

1,857

Flour (white) ...

0.5

12.0

11.4

1.0

75.1

1,650

Flour (entire wheat).....

1.0

11.4

13.8

1.9

71.9

1,675

Bread .....................

1.1

35.3

9.2

1.3

53.1

1,215

Crackers...

1.8

6.8

10.7

8.8

71 9

1,905

Macaroni.................

1.3

10.3

13.4

0.9

74.1

1,665

Corn meal...

1.0

12.5

9.2

1.9

75.4

1,655

Rice...

0.4

12 3

7.8

0.3

79.0

1,630

Potatoes............

1.0

78.0

2.2

0.1

18.4

385

Dried Beans...

3.5

12.6

22.5

1.8

59.6

1,605

Dried Peas...

2.9

9.5

24.6

1.0

62 0

1,655

Lettuce...

0.9

94.7

1.2

0.3

2.9

90

Almonds..................

2.0

4.8

21.0

54 9

17.3

3,030

Raisins...................

2.3

14.6

2.6

3.3

76.1

1,605

Chocolates...

2.2

5.9

12.9

48.7

30.3

2,860

(See pages 36 and 37 for charts giving graphic representation of these foods).