Page:The Scientific Monthly vol. 3.djvu/569

 THE DESIRE FOB FOOD IN MAN 5^3

sugar and two or three tablespoonfuls of cream to my saucer of sliced peaches — ^to be more exact, let us say from three fourths to one ounce of sugar and two ounces of cream to five ounces of peach slices — and consider that I am eating peaches flavored with sugar and cream. It would present the facts much more exactly, from the quantitative point of view, if I should say that I am eating sugar and cream flavored with peaches. For the sugar as fuel is worth 113 calories an ounce, and the cream 108 to 144 calories (according with butter-fat content of 18 per cent, and 25 per cent., respectively; rich coimtry cream runs higher), the peaches are worth 59 calories, or about 20 per cent, of the fuel value of the whole combination.

In cooking fruits, particularly the sour or tart flavored ones, this enormous increase of food value by sugar added for the sake of improv- ing flavor is intensified. The cherry pie which serves six, requires for filling, let us say, five sixths of a cupful of sugar to a cupful of cherries; i. e., seven and a half to eight and a half ounces of cherries wortb about 170 to 190 calories, with six and two thirds ounces of sugar, worth 756 calories. The crust of this pie presents another example of combination of concentrates. One half-pint cup of flour (which will be anywhere between one fourth and one third of a pound) is com- bined with lard or other fat (one twelfth to one half of a pound, ac- .cording to recipe used) and a small amount of water (two to four tablespoonfuls), then baked until it loses an amount of moisture equal to from 20 per cent, to 35 per cent, of its total weight. This gives the entire crust a fuel value of 700 to 2,200 calories. If we use only a moderately rich crust, and add to the filling an ounce of fiour (100 calories' worth) and one of butter (218 calories' worth), we shall have a value of 430 calories for each serving of 3 ounces weight (one sixth of the entire pie). About 30 of these calories are due to the cherries, the other 400 result from the added concentrates (35 per cent, from the fat, 31 per cent, from the sugar). Had the cherries been served as fresh fruit without sugar, a liberal serving of whole cherries would be three and one half ounces, worth some 74 calories; pitted, from three to five ounces (69 to 115 calories) makes a good showing, and most persons would add half an ounce of sugar (57 calories), or some would like twice that amount. As sauce, four ounces would make a good serving; that weight represents four and one half ounces o^ pitted fresh fruit (103 calories' worth), which would cook down almost to three ounces and would require the addition of at least three fourths ounce of sugar (85 calories), for cooking fruit "brings out the sour taste,*' and adds to the demand for sweetening. The value of a four ounce serving of the sweetened sauce is then at least 196 calories.

Not many of us would care to consume two ounces of sugar (about seven lumps, or four to six leveled tablespoonfuls) for breakfast with-

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