Page:Structure and functions of the body; a hand-book of anatomy and physiology for nurses and others desiring a practical knowledge of the subject (IA structurefunctio00fiskrich).pdf/154

 only in small amount by proteins. So no one food can form the whole diet but there must be variety. Carbohydrates and fats are not sufficient for life, some protein is necessary. Carbohydrates are more digestible than fats but have less potential energy. Gelatine saves waste of nitrogen, though it does not increase the supply. Water and salts are not nutritive but they aid the body processes, the water helping to dilute and dissolve substances for digestion.

The end-product of the consumption of protein is urea, which is eliminated by the kidneys. Just where it is formed is unknown, but many think in the liver. A trifling amount of urea is also eliminated in the sweat and in the breath as well as in the feces. Proteins increase nitrogenous metabolism and also the metabolism of other foods, but the amount of nitrogen eliminated is just equal to that taken in. Probably some comes from the tissues themselves and not from the food. The oxidation of carbohydrates and fats is measured by the amount of carbon excreted. At first as much is given off as is taken in, but after a while the carbohydrate is stored up as glycogen in the liver and the fats are stored as fat.

The amount of food needed varies with the person's size and occupation, less being needed for a child than for an adult and more for a hard-working man than for one who is doing less work. In general, 100 to 130 grams of protein, 40 to 80 grams of fat, 450 to 550 grams of carbohydrates, 30 grams of salts, and 28,000 grams of water is a fair amount.

Foods are cooked to make them more digestible and to develop their flavor, so that they will taste better. Cooking also kills germs and parasites that might be harmful. Meats should be cooked rapidly on the outside to coagulate the surface albumen and keep in the juices. The heat, besides coagulating the albumen, turns the tough parts to gelatine. In cereals the tough envelope of cellulose is broken up and in vegetables the tough fibrous parts are softened and made more digestible.