Show of jr interest to bome rl there Is no indispensable food the people of the united states are not the best fed sn in the world even it if they may be the most fed so stilted stated dr robert S harris phd addressing the nations food editors editors atthe at the annual convention in chicago to explain hla his statement the eminent massachusetts institute of technology professor described his work among a primitive tribe of mexican Alex ican indians the otomie HO he found them uneducated still cling ing to the century customs and living on tile the equivalent or of flao per week per family yet nutritional analysis of their foods compared to that of average income families near new york and boston showed the otomas actually better fed nutritionally in ill many ways dr harris did not say the are better nourished however all of us must satisfy three hungers he stated hollow hunger from an empty stomach hidden hunger from unbalanced nutrition and humdrum hunger duo due to unattractive un palatable pall pali table foods the otomas suffer from hollow and humdrum hunger we in the united states stales are sus septable cep table to hidden lit hunger ills his staff proved through work ork with the local foods available in mexico that the presence of calcium iron iran or the 13 vi timins in a diet are more important than the food from which they come ile he found tor for example that chill supplies the latin americans with vitamin A in comparison to our supply from dairy foods carrots or green leafy vegetables protein is another important nutrient obtained differently in various countries for centuries the indians have eaten corn and bean together and today nutritionists realize that this combination makes sense the protein of both of these cereals Is incomplete but when eaten together they complement each other in all parts of the world for many centuries people have instinctively combined complimentary foods in the samie same meal other foods which are nutritionally better balanced have often been eaten alone dr harris gave oatmeal as an example saying it Is nutritionally the best of our cereals and does not need to be eaten in combination the danger of imposing out our food habits on other nations was also emphasized by dr harris there is no indispensable fool no one food pattern which will best nourish wan mankind kind dr harris pointed out he feels that other nations need our knowledge and skills not our foods arid and food habits speaking from a wido wide background of research search le and travel dr harris is at present in charge of the null Uit ional biochemistry laboratory of technology has served as a nutrition consultant to various governmental ern mental agencies both here and in fit mexico |