NUTRITION FACTS

Articles In This Section:

· PROPER DIET

· DIMINISHING THE APPETITE

· TAKING VITAMINS AND MINERALS

· NUTRITION FACTS

· SPECIAL MENTION OF CERTAIN FOODS

· AN OCCASIONAL CIGARETTE

· DRINKS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL

· YOGA PRACTICE OF FASTING

Before we leave the subject of vitamins, it is important to point out what processing does to foods in general. Rice, for instance, like wheat, is robbed of half its nutrients while it is elegantly polished, then processed for quick cooking. The canning process, while often unavoidable, destroys much that is valuable. Then the average cook, out of habit or ignorance or because of a desire to serve food that looks pretty, robs her family by discarding the green outside leaves of lettuce and romaine, by peeling potatoes instead of either baking them or cooking them in their jackets, and by overcooking vegetables and throwing away the water—and half the vitamins and minerals with it. There is also the tendency to buy fresh vegetables in quantity and to store them in the refrigerator, allowing much of their nutritive value to be lost. In fact, we are constantly committing sins against our stomachs simply because we do not stop to think about the right way to eat.

But even before we have a chance to ruin food ourselves, and before it has been processed, part of the job is already done by the grower. Fruit and vegetables out of season, as well as jumbo-size and picture-pretty food, bring high prices. Consequently the grower forces his produce with various chemicals. And these chemical fertilizers result in food that is tasteless (in our family the word for the winter tomato, for instance, is "factory-made," and I know of no better way to describe it!), but, what is far more serious, chemicals are not an adequate source of basic nutrients. That is why so many health authorities continually stress the importance of naturally grown foods—which means foods grown in soil enriched with natural fertilizers—garden compost, manure, bone meal, wood ashes and so forth.

We cannot all have truck gardens and raise our own crops, but it helps to understand the following basic facts about nutrition and at least follow certain simple rules:

1. Fruit and vegetables are best bought in season, and only in quantities which can be utilized fairly fast.

2. Whenever possible, do not discard peelings. On the other hand it is essential to wash fruit and vegetables carefully, not only because they have been handled but because they may have a residue of some poisonous spray, such as arsenic or DDT, clinging to them. However, if produce are to be stored, do not wash until ready to serve. This is especially true of berries.

3. Both fruit and vegetables are best eaten raw, but if you must cook them, cook only until just soft, never to limpness. Bring the water to a boil first, use very little of it to begin with, and if possible, allow this to be re-absorbed. Try to utilize any remaining vegetable water in sauces or soups. An even better method is steaming.

4. In flavoring, learn to substitute herbs, garlic, lemon juice and onion for heavy quantities of salt, pepper and spices. Monosodium glutamate (sold under the trade name Accent, but much cheaper if bought by weight in the drugstore) which is not a condiment, helps bring out the natural flavor of foods by stimulating our taste buds, which through indiscriminate use of catsup, meat sauces and other sharp flavorings have become jaded. Learn to use it, unless of course you are on a salt-free diet, in which case it will not be permitted.

5. Finally, learn to enjoy foods prepared simply, without rich sauces which only mask the natural taste and add unnecessary calories. Remember that broiled foods are better for you than fried. And never drown your food by drinking with your meals.