Show WHAT to EAT and WHY I out a t a n j au adl the Nutritious Values of the BANANA BANAN A. A Explains How ow Our Most Satisfying Food F Fruit ruit Helps to Maintain aI Health at All 11 Ages By C. C HOUSTON GOUDISS 0 a East Enst Street New York City T the discovery of the vitamins and before we knew B BEFORE J-J J so much regarding the body's mineral requirements interest interest interest in in- terest in food was centered around proteins carbohydrates and fats Fruits which in general supply little protein and fat and widely varying amounts of carbohydrates received scant consideration L as 11 a source of essential nutrients But Due DU wun our steadily increasing increasing in- in in lIl- creasing knowledge of vitamins vitamins vitamins vita vita- mins and of the importance to the bOdY boly of a long list of essential essential essential es es- es- es mineral elements fruits have assumed a commanding commanding commanding com com- manding place in nutrition And those who w follow the primary primary primary mary rule o of f a well balanced diet and serve fruit twice daily have rave been rewarded with increased hc health and vigor In addition to their minerals and vitamins fruits are valued because because because be be- cause of their bulk or cellulose which helps to insure regular regular regular regu regu- lar health habits The Most Economical Fruit Many homemakers consider that fruits as a class are among the them them themore m more o 0 r e expensive items included in inthe inthe in inthe iP the food budget Y But that statement statement statement state state- ment is far too general general general gen gen- eral and indicates f a lack of information information information tion concerning the ti comparative nutritive nutritive nutritive tive values of the 5 different kinds of fruit For example a it has been said of ol the delicious and economical banana that it gives more nutritive as well as money value than almost any other food Fruits in general are frequently frequently frequently fre fre- divided into two classes they are known as Oa flavor vor fruits when they contain 80 per cent or more of water and as food fruits when the water content is less than 80 per cent Bananas are a food fruit of the first order Ripe h bananas n n c are Irp rich in c carbo carbo- h hydrates d te- te and d- d df f furnish ih th the y o body with splendid energy values with witha a minimum tax on the digestive system A Double Fuel Value V clue When fully ripened this fruit provides quick energy because a certain amount of its sugars are almost immediately absorbed by bythe bythe bythe the body On the other hand several several several sev sev- eral hours must elapse before the remaining sugars are completely assimilated Thus eating bananas provides a continuous supply of energy for a considerable period They not only help to promote rapid recovery from fatigue but also furnish a continuing supply of energy which keeps one from becoming becoming becoming be be- coming hungry again too soon after a meal The edible portion of one aver lver- sized age-sized banana weighs about fc ounces and provides calories It takes almost the same weight of white potato to yield the same same number of calories A Bananas a Protective Food Bananas take an important position position position tion among the protective foods because they are a good source of four vitamins A B C and G and contain a total of 11 minerals They leave an ash alkaline-ash following following following fol fol- lowing digestion Fully ripened bananas are easily easily easily easi easi- ly digested and are mildly laxa laxa- tive Valuable in Childs Child's Diet Bananas deserve a prominent place in the childs child's diet from infancy infancy infancy in in- fancy to maturity Some baby specialists prescribe mashed and strained ripe bananas as one of the first solid foods to be introduced introduced introduced intro intro- in the infants infant's diet The ripe banana is considered to be especially valuable at the time when sugar is withdrawn from the formula and the baby is given whole milk for the first time The calories in the bananas take the place of the calories previously received from the sugar and thus weight gains are steadily main main- Help Children Gain Weight Because of their high caloric value plus their content of minerals minerals minerals min min- and vitamins bananas may maywell maywell maywell well be used regularly throughout childhood Bananas and milk make an excellent excellent excellent ex ex- food foot combination because the milk supplements the fruit with protein fat minerals and vitamins This combination is is often used as a supplementary lunch for underweight children and carefully conducted studies have indicated its usefulness in helping youngsters to gain weight Almost all children like the taste of bananas and they do not seem to tire of this bland and pleasing fruit And though the banana is regarded as a solid food it can if desired be mashed and whipped into liquid form and combined with milk to make a healthful and nourishing beverage Ideal for the Elderly If elderly individuals are to maintain top health fruits should be given a prominent place in their diet But many fruits are area a avoided voided by individuals past middle middle middle mid mid- dle age either because their acid taste is displeasing sing or because 1 t G t o ct S Spoils p oils Your Looks Impairs Efficiency And It ic may seriously affect your health If you are over 30 and weigh more than the normal weight for your height at the age of 30 the chances are arc that you would benefit greatly by a n rational program of weight reduction You are arc Invited to write to C. C Houston Goud Goudiss ss for his scientific Reducing Bulletin which outlines the safe certain and comfortable method of weight reduction by counting trouncing calories calorie It includes balanced reducing menus and a n chart showing the caloric value of all the commonly used foods With it you aU can easily asil compute the caloric value of every meal you OU eat eau Just write to C. C Houston Goudiss 6 East St St. New NewYork York City a City a post card will win do doand and they present difficulties in masti masti- cation Ripe bananas however practically melt In hi the mouth Being Being Being Be Be- ing easily digested they are a fortunate choice for elderly persons persons persons per per- sons providing necessary energy values with a minimum of digestive digestive digestive diges diges- tive effort Most Versatile Fruit Bananas are always in season and are usually most inexpensive It is desirable of course that only fully ripened bananas be eaten raw That is because their constituents constituents constituents con con- vary with the degree of ripeness Bananas are picked when they are green and hard and the carbohydrate carbohydrate carbohydrate car car- content is almost entirely entirely entirely en en- starch As they ripen the starch is converted into easily di digested digested digested di- di sugars In fully ripened bananas bananas- those bananas those in which brown flecks appear on the yellow skins the skins the starch has almost entirely disappeared and the flavor has been developed to its highest point The yellow all-yellow banana is also ripe enough for eating and it is likewise firm enough for cooking Partially ripe bananas those bananas those which are yellow with a green tip tip may may be cooked and served as a vegetable or as dessert Considering their availability ease of digestion high food value and economy bananas deserve to tobe tobe tobe be classed as one of the staple foods in every well planned dietary C. C. C Houston Goudiss 1938 27 |