Digitized by the internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/relativevaluesofOOalvo f(-ts [Brom the Proceedings of the American Association for the Ada OF SCIENCE, Vol. XXXIV, Aun Arbor Meeting. August, 1885.] FOR THE Advancement Relative values of human foods. By Maj. Henry E. Alvord, Houghton Farm, Mountainville, New York, N. Y, [ABSTRACT.] There are different ways of comparing human foods upon the score of economy. If one attempts to consider at once their digestibility, chemical composition and usual cost, besides other conditions which should not be ignored, the problem becomes very complex. It is hard to define the average human stomach, and we are so much in the dark on the questions of actual' propor- tions of digestibility in different forms of food, that it is safer to diop this factor than to include it. Chemical knowledge of foods and their market prices, are sufficient, when combined," to form an interesting study. The basis selected for comparison is all-important. A casual observation shows the necessity of separating foods into two grand divisions, animal and vegetable, and of selecting a basis for each. If any food could be found in common use, at a fairly steady price and useful only for its protein, the direct value or cost of protein could be determined. This being impracticable, a stand- ard food, like average ox-beef, flesh free from bone, may be taken and the cost of protein obtained by difference. We will assume that the fats of average beef and pure lard are equivalent in nutri- tion and wholly digestible, and take lard at 12 cents per pound as the safest base for animal foods. In average ox-beef there are 5.2 per cent of fats and 23.4 per cent of protein. Placing such beef at 16 cts. per pound, the account will stand thus per hundred- weight : 100 lbs. beef . 5.2 “ fat . 21.4 “ protein $ 16.00 .624 15.376 ( 504 ) 505 SECTION I. From these figures is obtained the cost of nutrients in animal foods, viz. : — protein, 72 cts. pr. lb. ; fats, 12 cts. ; carboh^^drates, 7 cts. The old German ratio of carbohydrates and fats of 1 : 2.5 so largely adopted in this country was never fully accepted and later investigations show its inaccuracy. We are well supported in substituting 1 : 1.75. Therefore to get carbohydrates from fats, deduct 43 per cent from the latter. For vegetable foods, the potato is unquestionably the best basis, and the price per bushel is taken at 60 cts. or $1.00 per cwt. Four cents is assigned as the value of the unextracted starch and the other carbohydrates, and by a calculation analogous to that for beef, potatoes being rated as about 20 per cent carbohydrates, the value of nutritious matter in vegetable foods is fixed thus: Protein, 10 cts. per lb. ; carboln^drates, 4 cts. per Ib. Based upon these values, the following table has been compiled. It gives the chief nutrients, the value and average price, ap- proximately, of 100 pounds of thirty common articles of food, half animal and half vegetable. The fats are included in the column headed carboh^^d rates. A column is added at the right indicating by the signs, plus and minus, whether the usual selling price, as stated, is more or less than the food value, computed as above. [See Table on next page.] The figures for the chemical composition of the foods named are taken from such authority (see, appended Note) that they can hardly be questioned. If exceptions are taken to the assumed prices of the basic articles, it is manifest that by a simple calcula- tion based upon actually existing maiket rates, the columns of food values may be easily reconstructed to suit any given locality. The column of average market price is simply for i llustration and will vary with time and place. This inquiry into the relative value of human foods was insti- tuted for the purpose of making an accurate economic comparison between the different products of the dairy and between those and standard articles of diet. Attention is invited to these facts, as exhibited by the table. ECONOMIC SCIENCE AND STATISTICS. 506 COMPOSITION AND VALUE OF FOODS. PER ONE HUNDRED POUNDS. 1 1 NAME. Protein. Carbo- Hydrates Value. Average Market Price, v Standard Cows’ Milk 4 00 10 52 $3 .54 $3 25 a Cows’ Milk (average all kinds). .. . 3 41 11 23 3 24 2 79 b Skimmed Milk 3 06 6 15 2 63 1 77 c Butter-milk 3 78 5 89 3 13 1 77 d Cream 3 70 48 51 6 06 12 50 Butter 0 86 146 05 10 67 25 00 Fat Cheese 27 16 55 78 23 46 14 00 Average Ox Beef 21 39 9 08 16 32 16 32 Fat Veal 18 88 13 89 14 57 15 00 Fat Mutton 14 80 63 73 15 12 15 00 Fat Pork 14 54 65 35 15 04 13 00 Domestic Fowl (fat) 18 49 17 54 14 54 16 00 Hens’ Eggs 12 55 21 74 10 56 10 65 e Salmon 13 10 12 67 10 .32 30 00 Mackerel 23 42 11 83 17 69 10 00 Cod Fish (dried) 17 90 2 25 13 05 8 00 Oysters 4 95 3 27 3 97 10 00 Fine Wheat Flour -8 91 76 12 3 94 3 00 Fine Wheat Bread 6 82 53 69 2 83 4 00 Oat Meal 15 50 74 37 4 52 3 00 Potatoes 1 79 20 84 1 01 1 00 Rice 1 81 76 61 3 24 6 00 Beans 23 56 52 10 4 44 4 00 Pease 22 63 56 25 4 51 5 00 C.abbage. 2 95 9 24 0 66 1 00 Onions (red) 1 68 10 99 0 61 2 00 Tomatoes 1 25 4 66 0 31 2 00 Cane Sugar 0 35 96 73 3 90 6 00 Honey 1 29 81 43 3 39 25 00 Apples 0 39 13 74 0 59 Peaches 0 65 12 -67 0 57 Grapes 0 59 17 11 0 74 Strawberries 1 07 8 48 0 45 Dried Apples 1 06 55 97 2 35 Price ?’tr + or ess — than + Notes:— a, 7c. per qt.; b,6c.perqt.; c, 4c. per qt. ; d, 4c. per qt. ; e, 16c. per dozen 507 SECTION I. Skim-milk, butter-milk and cheese at their usual retail prices, are cheaper as nutritious food than any other articles on the list, and are approached in tliis respect onl}^ by fresh mackerel and dried cod-fish. On the contraiy, butter costs two or three times its real food value, and often more. What shall be said of domestic economy in America, where more butter and less cheese are consumed per capita than in any other nation in our zone? And of the government of some our great cities where Boards of Health absolutely prohibit the sale of skimmed milk and actually destroy all that can be found ? Of butchers’ meats, pork and mutton are the cheapest and veal the dearest. Of fish, mackerel is the cheapest while salmon and oysters are about as dear relatively as butter. Eggs generall}^ sell at their full food value. Wheat-flour, oat- meal and beans are the cheapest forms of vegetable food, nearly all other vegetables (except potatoes) as well as the fruits, costing more than they are worth for their nutritive properties alone. General note : Additional Tables have been prepared to accom- pany the foregoing on the same plan, but with several additional columns for chemical composition, embracing also every known article of human food. As illustrating their completeness, this classified summary is given : flesh, 19 articles; fish, 14 articles ; fowl, eggs and game, 12 articles ; dairy products, 18 articles; cereals and legumes, 10 articles; flour, meal, bread, etc., 17 articles; vegetables, 20 articles; fruits, 20 articles, and sweets 5 articles : in all 135 articles. To these have been added a Table, giving the amounts, composition and nutritive ratio of food actually consumed b}" persons of different ages and in varied occupations, as observed in 32 individuals. All these Tables are compilations on- ly and are mainly translated from the work of Dr. J. Koenig entitled Zusammensetzung der menschlichen Nahrungs und Genusmittel. Dr. Koenig collected his analyses from the best chemists, naming his authorities, and in most cases gives the mean of a number of analyses, — as for example, 37 for beef, 184 for wheat, 70 for potatoes, 57 for sugar, 17 for apples, 89 for butter, 100 for cheese and 339 for milk. The labor of translation, with the recalculation of weights, values, etc., and careful verification, has been performed by Mr. F. E. Emery, B.S., of Maine, my principal assistant in the Experiment Department of Houghton Farm. [Salem Press, June, 1886.] UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOI9-URBANA 3 01