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Food Values and Adulterations: Meats

Meats are more similar in composition to the tissues of the human body than foods of vegetable origin.

Hence they require less change in the body to make them available to digestion.

A comparison of the nutrients in the different cuts of meat shows that they vary chiefly in the amounts of fat and water which they contain, but that there is very little difference in the proportion of proteid. Langworthy says, in substance, that for every day purposes the proportion and net value of the proteid obtained from a given weight of meat differs very little either with the kind of meat or the cut, with the exception of fat salt pork or bacon. makes it easy for the housekeeper to be sure that her family is getting enough of this nutrient.

This 'The total amount of proteid needed each day for a man at moderate labor is estimated at 31 ounces. Of this, one-half is usually taken in the form of animal food, including milk, eggs, poultry and fish, as well as meat. The remainder is taken in the form of bread and other cereal foods, or beans and other vegetables. An ordinary helping of three to five ounces of lean meat may be considered to contain about one-half of the required proteid. An egg or a glass of milk contains about one-twelfth of the needed daily supply. Hence the housekeeper who gives each adult member of her family a helping of three to five ounces of cooked meat each day with eggs, milk or cheesetogether with puddings or other dishes which contain eggs or milkcan feel sure that she is supplying sufficient proteid. The remainder necessary will be supplied by bread, cereals and other vegetable foods.

Langworthy says further, that there is practically no difference between the various cuts of meat, or the meats from different animals, with respect to either the thoroughness or the ease with which they are digested. Red meat is equally as digestible as white meat, pork is as digestible as beef, and the cheaper cuts are equally as digestible as the tenderest steak. Meats of all kinds and cuts are therefore to be classed as easily digested foods. Those who wish to use the cheaper cuts need not feel that, in so doing, their families are less well nourished than FOOD VALUES AND ADULTERATIONS by the more expensive meats. It is, however, true that some kinds of meat-as roast chicken, or veal, tenderloin of steak and lamb chops cooked rare-are tender, easily masticated, well flavored and appetizing. Hence so far as stomach or gastric digestion is concerned, they are somewhat more easily and rapidly digested than others. In other words, they pass quickly out of the stomach and into the intestine where the principal work of digestion actually takes place. This agrees with the practice of using so-called white meats in diets for the sick room. It remains true, however, that nearly all of the proteid and about 95 per cent of the fat of all sorts of meat are digested by the average person.