5. Vegetables. — Some such, as potatoes, consist almost entirely -of starch ; others, such as green vegetables, consist mainly of a highly insoluble substance called cellulose, with small quantities of starches, proteids, &c. But they are especially valuable in' that they contain various mineral salts of vital importance. The importance of fresh vegetables and fruits was not for a long time realised, and hence there were fearful outbreaks of scurvy amongst sailors ; at the present day this disease is practically unknown in well-ordered ships. What the actual substance is that prevents scurvy has not as yet been discovered. Recent Arctic expe- ditions have also shown the value of fresh meat in preventing scurvy. Now, as we saw above, proteid contains practically all the elements which we require, and yet it is found, as a matter of practical •experience, that we can live much better on a mixed diet consisting also of carbohydrates, fats, &c., and furthermore that these should be in proper proportion. A typical physiological diet, i.e. one on which an average man would neither gain nor lose weight, is the following, known as ‘ Ranke’s ’ diet : — Proteid . . 100 grammes I Carbohydrates . 250 grammes Fat . . 100 „ I Water, salts, &c. Again, given such a diet, we must have it properly prepared for consumption and digestion. Before the body can absorb any of these they must undergo complicated chemical changes in the stomach and intestines under the influence of the various digestive juices ; for 20 THE NEW CENTURY COOKERY BOOK example, proteids must be converted into ‘ peptones,’ substances which are more soluble and pass more readily through the wall of the alimentary canal : starch must be converted into sugar. In order that this may be done easily the food must be broken up into small pieces by mastication, that the digestive juice may have access to its particles, and it must be rendered palatable. This is of importance because the secretion of the digestive juices is under the control of the nervous system, and the more a dish pleases the appetite — within certain limits — the more readily is it digested. Cookery has thus for its objects : — 1 . The rendering of raw material agreeable to the sight, smell and taste. 2. The conversion of the sinews &c. of meat into gelatin so that the fibres can be easily separated. 3. The bursting of the little envelopes in which starch is found in the tissues of various plants, and so allowing the digestive juices to act upon it. 4. The destruction of the eggs of any undesirable parasites that may happen to be present in raw food, or, especially in the case of milk, the destruction of the germs of disease or putrefaction which are liable to occur. In flavouring &c. we are largely dependent upon extractives. Meats contain, as we have seen, a great many, notably one called creatine, and these are the main constituents of the various meat extracts on the market. They have practically no value as actual food. In many of these meat extracts a certain amount of proteid matter is added, but it is generally very insoluble and always in such small quantity as to be practically useless as food. Meat extracts and clear soups must then be considered, from the point of view of food proper, as practically useless ; but, inasmuch as they are stimulant and refreshing, besides being palatable, they are valuable adjuncts to food. 21

AI-modernized reading of the original text

5. Vegetables. — Some such, as potatoes, consist almost entirely -of starch ; others, such as green vegetables, consist mainly of a highly insoluble substance called cellulose, with small quantities of starches, proteids, &c. But they are especially valuable in' that they contain various mineral salts of vital importance. The importance of fresh vegetables and fruits was not for a long time realised, and hence there were fearful outbreaks of scurvy amongst sailors ; at the present day this disease is practically unknown in well-ordered ships. What the actual substance is that prevents scurvy has not as yet been discovered. Recent Arctic expeditions have also shown the value of fresh meat in preventing scurvy. Now, as we saw above, proteid contains practically all the elements which we require, and yet it is found, as a matter of practical •experience, that we can live much better on a mixed diet consisting also of carbohydrates, fats, &c., and furthermore that these should be in proper proportion. A typical physiological diet, i.e. one on which an average man would neither gain nor lose weight, is the following, known as ‘ Ranke’s ’ diet : — Proteid . . 100 grammes I Carbohydrates . 250 grammes Fat . . 100 „ I Water, salts, &c. Again, given such a diet, we must have it properly prepared for consumption and digestion. Before the body can absorb any of these they must undergo complicated chemical changes in the stomach and intestines under the influence of the various digestive juices ; for example, proteids must be converted into ‘ peptones,’ substances which are more soluble and pass more readily through the wall of the alimentary canal : starch must be converted into sugar. In order that this may be done easily the food must be broken up into small pieces by mastication, that the digestive juice may have access to its particles, and it must be rendered palatable. This is of importance because the secretion of the digestive juices is under the control of the nervous system, and the more a dish pleases the appetite — within certain limits — the more readily is it digested. Cookery has thus for its objects : — 1 . The rendering of raw material agreeable to the sight, smell and taste. 2. The conversion of the sinews &c. of meat into gelatin so that the fibres can be easily separated. 3. The bursting of the little envelopes in which starch is found in the tissues of various plants, and so allowing the digestive juices to act upon it. 4. The destruction of the eggs of any undesirable parasites that may happen to be present in raw food, or, especially in the case of milk, the destruction of the germs of disease or putrefaction which are liable to occur. In flavouring &c. we are largely dependent upon extractives. Meats contain, as we have seen, a great many, notably one called creatine, and these are the main constituents of the various meat extracts on the market. They have practically no value as actual food. In many of these meat extracts a certain amount of proteid matter is added, but it is generally very insoluble and always in such small quantity as to be practically useless as food. Meat extracts and clear soups must then be considered, from the point of view of food proper, as practically useless ; but, inasmuch as they are stimulant and refreshing, besides being palatable, they are valuable adjuncts to food.

The new century cookery book