Five Nutritious Health Foods: Brewers' Yeast - Molasses - Wheatgerm - Kelp - Yogurt [2 ed.] 0909911428

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Five Nutritious Health Foods - Front Cover
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By the same author
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Contents
Foreword
Nutrition and Ageing
Brewer's Yeast
Properties of Yeast
How to Take Yeast
Functions of Protein
Vitamin and Mineral Content of Yeast
Vitamin B Complex Deficiency
Beri-beri
Pellagra
Riboflavin Shortage
Pernicious Anaemia
Molasses
Properties of Molasses
Obtaining Sugar from Sugar Cane
Mineral and Vitamin Content
How to Take Molasses
Constipation and Colitis
Skin Diseases
Heart Disease
Diabetes
Wheatgerm
Properties of Wheatgerm
Stone Ground Flour
Flour Milling
Vitamin E
Vitamin E Deficiency
Heart Therapy
Important Supplements
Why Alpha Tocopherol Heals
Vitamin A
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
The Nervous System
Healthy Eyes
Serving Wheatgerm
What Wheatgerm Contains
Kelp
Properties of Kelp
Rich Source of Iodine
Hazards of Iodine Deficiency
Goitre
Symptoms of Goitre
Exopthalmic Goitre
Goitre in History
Goitre Throughout the World
Prevalence of Goitre
Analysis of Kelp
Deficiency Ailments
Kelp for Vital Organs
Constipation
Rheumatism
Nervous Disorders
Headaches
Indigestion
Other Uses
Iodized Salt
Dosage
Soil Deficient in Iodine
Kelp as Fertilizer
Yogurt
Early Research
The Intestinal Tract
The Effect of Drugs
Yogurt and Disease Germs
Yogurt as a Remedy
Weight Regulation
Does Eating Yogurt Promote Longevity?
How Yoghurt is Made
Storage of Yogurt
How to Eat Yogurt
Nutritive Value of Yogurt
Rear Cover

Citation preview

i1

j

BREWERS YEAST

MOLASSES

I

KELP

YOGURT

VVV SCIENCE CF LiFE BOOK

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

By the

same

author

CARING FOR PETS GET WELL WITH FOOD

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

Brewers’ Yeast Molasses

Kelp

Wheatgerm Yogurt

by H. HAWKSEY

SCIENCE OF LIFE BOOKS 4-12 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne, Victoria 3000.

This Edition

(completely revised, enlarged

and

reset)

1971

Second Impression 1973 Third Impression 1976

© SCIENCE OF LIFE BOOKS 1971

Registered

for

at the G.P.O.

transmission as a

This book is sold

sublect

Sydney, through the post

book.

to the condition that it shall

way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s

not,

by

prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a

similar imposed

condition including this condition on the subsequent purchaser.

National

Library

of Australia card number

and ISBN 0 909911 42 8

Made and Printed in Great Britain by

Weatherby Woolnough, Wellingborough, ?Vorthants, England, NN8 4BX

being

Contents FOREWORD

Nutrition and Ageing

BREWERS’ YEAST Properties of Yeast How to Take Yeast

7 9 9 9

Functions of Protein

10

Vitamin and Mineral Content of Yeast

11

Vitamin B Complex Deficiency

11

Ben-ben

12

Pellagra

12

Riboflavin Shortage

13

Pernicious Anaemia

13

MOLASSES Properties of Molasses

14 14

Obtaining Sugar from Sugar Cane

14

Mineral and Vitamin Content

15

How to Take Molasses

17

Molasses for Growths

18

Constipation and Colitis

18

Skin Diseases

19

Heart Disease

19

Diabetes

20

WHEATGERM Properties of Wheatgerm

21 21

Stone Ground Flour Flour

21

Milling

22

Vitamin E Vitamin E Heart

.21

Deficiency

23

23

Therapy

Important Supplements

24

Why Alpha Tocopherol Heals

24

Vitamin A

24

Vitamin Bi

(Thiamine)

25

The Nervous System

25

Healthy Eyes

26

Serving Wheatgerm

26

What Wheatgerm Contains

27

KELP Properties of

28 28

Kelp

Rich Source of Iodine

28

Hazards of Iodine

29

Deficiency

Goitre

30

Symptoms of Goitre

Exopthalmic

Goitre

30

31

Goitre in History

32

Goitre Throughout the World

32

Prevalence of Goitre

33

Analysis of Kelp Deficiency Ailments

33 34

Kelp

for Vital

Organs

.35

Constipation

35

Rheumatism

35

Nervous Disorders

36

Headaches

36

Indigestion

36

Other Uses

36

Iodized Salt

36

Dosage

37

Soil Deficient in iodine

Kelp

as

Fertilizer

37 38 40

YOGURT Early Research

40

The Intestinal Tract

40

The Effect of Drugs

41

Yogurt and

Disease Germs

42

Remedy

42

Yogurt

as a

Weight Regulation Does Eating Yogurt Promote Longevity9

43

How

Yoghurt is Made Storage of Yogurt

44

How to Eat

45

Yogurt

Nutritive Value of

Yogurt

43

44

45

Foreword Nutrition and

Ageing relatively new

A

branch

of medical

science

called

geriatrics is concerned with ageing and its diseases, but many diseases associated with ageing are caused by faulty nutrition. This is proved by the fact that elderly people in

various parts of the world who eat unfragmented, vital foods enjoy much better health than younger people who eat refined, factory-produced foodstuffs.

Dr. Sir Robert McCarrison has related the story of the was stationed among them

Hunzas of Northern India. He for nine years and was those whom

impressed by

their vitality, particularly

would

as elderly. regard says that the Hunzas eat only whole, unprocessed foodstuffs. In Bulgaria, the people eat yogurt daily and are noted for

we

Dr. McCarrison

their health and There

longevity.

settlements in the Caucasian Mountains of

are

Russia and elsewhere where people live to

a

healthy old

age

for vital, unprocessed foods. In his book The National Malnutrition, Dr. D.T. Quigley relates that the people of the remote Loetschental valley in

owing

to their

preference

the Swiss Alps who eat only natural, unfragmented foods, until

require the services of doctor or dentist. He says that fairly recently, the people of the Outer Hebrides, off

the

coast

never

of

Scotland, lived on food they fish they caught, and had no need dental attention. However, since they began Northern

produced locally for medical

or

and

on

to import factory-made has deteriorated.

foods from Scotland their

we describe several foods referred to by “wonder foods” because of their remarkable

In this booklet

scientists

as

health

nutritional and health giving properties.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

9

Brewer’s Yeast Properties of Yeast The

use

known to

of yeast as a ferment and medicine has been for thousands of years. There is mention of

man

being used during the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt (about 1550 B.C.) according to Eber’s Papyrus, but it is only during the last few decades that the extraordinary nutritive properties of yeast have been discovered. Yeast is a tiny cultivated plant about 1/4000 of an inch in diameter (about the size of a human blood corpuscle). yeast

Although so minute, it is a storehouse of B complex vitamins, protein, calcium, iron and ten trace minerals. Yeast contains sixteen of the twenty amino acids; the ultimate building blocks of protein that replace worn out or damaged tissue, and are essential for the normal functioning of the body for health and longevity. Brewers’ yeast is cultivated and harvested under carefully controlled conditions of seed bed temperature. The yeast is grown in large vats until it has produced the maximum quantity of yeast cells. it is then gathered and dried at

a

temperature that retains its nutritive value. How to Take Yeast It is advisable to

teaspoonful digestion may a

in a

take

yeast in small amounts at first, say

large glass of fruit juice, because

a poor cause the formation of gas. It is unwise to eat fresh bakers’ yeast until it is cooked

for live yeast grows in the intestines, depriving the body of complex vitamins and leaving none available to enter

its B

the

blood

vitamins

stream.

can

result

Serious

deficiencies of B complex from eating bakers’ yeast, whereas

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

10

brewers’

longer

yeast is perfectly safe, because the plant is

no

alive.

Functions of Protein The chief purpose of protein is to repair body waste, but it has several other important functions. Protein prevents obesity; it nourishes hair and nails; it helps us to walk erect; it aids the blood to clot; it safeguards us against low blood to produce the enzymes carbohydrates into energy. Protein stimulates the activity of the leucocytes and antibodies in the blood, which attack and destroy bacteria and antigens that invade the body. In this way, protein builds up resistance to infection and deficiency diseases. It also keeps away wrinkles and helps to preserve a youthful appearance, despite advancing years. Every cell in the body is built of protein, namely the skin, muscles, brain, hair, nails and internal organs, also the base of the bones. The red blood cells are built of protein and when it is lacking, anaemia may result. The hormones and enzymes are made of protein. Muscles lose tone, wrinkles appear and the process of ageing is stepped up when the protein intake is inadequate.

pressure and anaemia; it helps needed to turn

In

severe

deficiencies

and

of

protein,

the

tissues

become

This condition is especially noticeable in the ankles, and bags form beneath the

water-logged eyes. Protein is eggs, meat, when taken

puffed-looking.

an expensive food when taken in the form of poultry, fish and cheese, but is not expensive

as

brewers’ yeast, which contains twice for

pound chops weighing 113

protein

pound

grams will

as

meat.

provide

Thus,

as

much

two

lamb

20 grams of protein,

11

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

whereas two

weighing

heaped tablespoons of brewers’ yeast powder, provide 40 grams of protein.

90 grams, will

Vitamin and Mineral Content of Yeast Brewers’ yeast contains the whole range of B complex vitamins and is particularly rich in vitamins Bi (thiamine) and B2 (riboflavin). [t is a source of niacinamide, pantothenic acid, biotin, cholin, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), folic vitamin Bl2 and inositol. acid, Yeast contains a relatively large amount of phosphorus

and

appreciable quantities of calcium. heaping tablespoonful, i.e., 45 grams of brewers’ yeast powder contains 4 mgs. of vitamin B!, 2 mgms. vitamin B2, 49 mgms. calcium, 945 mgms. phosphorus, 7.9 mgms. of iron and 20 grams of protein, together with significant amounts of the other B complex vitamins previously iron and

A

mentioned. Brewers’ yeast is available in both form from Health Food Stores.

powder

and tablet

Vitamin B Complex Deficiency Brewers’ yeast is beneficial in every form of vitamin B complex deficiency, namely irritability, bad nerves, depression, skin irritations,

sores at

the

corner

of the mouth,

sore

tongue, diarrhoea, constipation, dry burning eyes, headache, nausea, poor appetite, lack of energy, insomnia, digestive disturbances, overweight, dizziness, flatulence and palpitation. It is also of particular value to athletes and growing children, as well as being unequalled in its ability to counteract diet deficiencies.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

12

Ben-ben The wasting disease known as ben-ben is caused by a deficiency of vitamin Bi. It is mostly found in the Far East where rice is the staple diet. Rice grains contain adequate

amounts of vitamin

is polished,

a

Bi, but this is discarded when the rice

comparatively modern

had disastrous effects

However, ben-ben of the merest found that

a

innovation which has

health in the rice-eating countries. can be cured by the daily consumption

on

pinch of yeast. In fact, it was once paralysed pigeon suffering from ben-ben could

be cured in just a few hours by the administration of only 1/15,000 of an ounce of vitamin Bi, which amount can be found in just over 2Y2 ozs of yeast.

Pellagra This deficiency disease is not only endemic to the Far East, but can be found anywhere where maize is an

Italy, Egypt, South America, important part of the diet U.S.A., etc. It is a major cause of death among the “poor white” population of America’s Deep South where the major food items are meat and maize, and in 1915 11,000 people there died from pellagra, rising to 120,000 in 1927.

The symptoms are dermatitis, diarrhoea and dementia, and it is caused by a lack of nicotinic acid. If there is

partial symptoms of roughening and discoloration of the skin, and children who are lethargic and lack interest in school work could well be suffering from a minor form of pellagra. merely a shortage of this substance, the disease can occur, especially

It was discovered in 1937 that pellagra could be cured by doses of nicotinic acid, also known as nicotinamide, niacin, or niacinamide. This is one of the component parts of

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

daily dose of which would be conjunction with a further one or containing one-thousandth of an ounce of

brewers’ yeast,

one-fifth of two

ounces

13

a

a

suitable

pound

in

nicotinic acid. Riboflavin A

Shortage shortage of riboflavin

which is characterized by

and facial skin; cracks

B2) can cause cheilosis, reddening of the lips, tongue edge of the mouth; greasy skin

(vitamin a

at the

around the nostrils; and soreness around the eyes. Sometimes cataracts can occur in the eyes, and this happens

frequently

in

discovered

until

vitamin B2 has

india.

The

cause

of

cheilosis

just before World War Ii, been prescribed for the disease.

best source of vitamin B2, and

so is

was

since

not

when

Yeast is the

recommended to those

who suffer from rough and cracked skin,

as

well

as

the

other symptoms listed above. Pernicious Anaemia Drs. Minot, Murphy and Whipple were awarded Prize Cor their work on pernicious anaemia. Their

a

Nobel

findings

that it is caused by the non-working of an enzyme in the stomach whose function is to help convert iron into red

were

corpuscles. The original successful cure was extract of liver. Further research by Mrs. Mary S. Short indicated that a vitamin containing cobalt, which was then named

blood

B12, as

was

instrumental in curing pernicious anaemia. As well

being found

in liver

(which is an expensive source, for only one gramme of vitamin

twenty tons of liver contain

B 12), the mould Streptomyces griseus is rich in vitamin B12, and it is also to be found in brewers’ yeast.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

14

Molasses Properties of Molasses Molasses is the nutritive residue after sugar has been extracted from the sugar cane. Sugar cane contains many vitamins and minerals, but refined white sugar is devoid of

them because these valuable nutrients remain in molasses after sugar has been removed. Any doubt as to the food value of molasses is

dispelled

the fact that it is fed to prize farm animals to keep them ii optimum condition. Breeders of live stock look only to the high nutrient qualities of food and it is estimated that

by

300 million gallons of molasses the U.S.A., of which a feed.

imported annually into large proportion is used for stock

Obtaining Sugar from Sugar

are

Cane

To obtain sugar the cane is crushed to release the sap, which is treated with lime and then with sulphuric acid gas to remove the colour. After a further treatment with lime

and

carbonic

acid,

the

clear juice

is

evaporated

and

crystallized in a vacuum pan. The sugar is next placed in a centrifuge which separates the crystallized sugar from the molasses. The sugar is then filtered and bleached until it becomes the refined white sugar of commerce, in other words, sweetness without sustenance, and rich only in calories.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

15

Summary of Mineral and Vitamin Content of Molasses (Per 100 grams i.e., five tablespoons) MINERALS Potassium Calcium

1500 258 30 7.97 1.93

Phosphorus Iron Copper

mgms. mgms. mgms. mgms. mgms.

VITAMINS Inositol Vitamin B] Vitamin B2 Niacin Vitamin B6

150 mgms. 245 mcgms. 240 mcgms. 4 mgrns. 270 mcgms.

Pantothenic Acid

260 mcgms. 16 mcgms.

Biotin

The foregoing summary appreciable quantities of

shows that molasses contains

and calcium, and of amounts relatively large phosphorus and iron, with a little copper. Ets vitamin content is high in inositol (a B

complex vitamin)

potassium

and it contains six other B

complex

vitamins.

Description

of Minerals and

Vitamins in Molasses POTASSIUM Potassium

retards hardening of the arteries, the forerunner of hypertension and heart disorders. It has an

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

16

affinity for excess fluid and mucus in the body which manifests in watery eyes, catarrh and sinus trouble, hence potassium is beneficial in head colds, coughs, etc. A partial deficiency of potassium may result in slow growth, constipation, nerviness, sleeplessness and an irregular heart beat. CALCIUM Almost all the body’s supply of calcium is contained in bones and teeth. Soft, brittle bones are not just the natural

result of old

age, they reveal a dietary lack of calcium. The blood needs calcium to enable it to clot, and people troubled with nose bleeding may be deficient in calcium. Calcium

helps

of calcium

to

transport

causes

nervous

irritability,

impulses and

nervous tension

a

shortage

and insomnia.

Cramps and

spasms can result from a diet Lacking calcium. Cataracts often form in the eyes of the elderly following calcium deficiencies over long periods. The heart beat

depends largely Most

of the

upon calcium for its strong,

PHOSPHORUS phosphorus in the body

steady rhythm. is

required

for

combination with calcium. If too little calcium is eaten,

phosphorus cannot be utilized and is lost. The phosphorus is important because it is essential to the functioning of the cells. Phosphorus forms a necessary part of every cell nucleus. Phosphorus assists in the body’s absorption of fats and sugars and helps to convert them into energy. It gives rigidity some

retention of

to bones and teeth and is as essential as calcium, in normal bone growth and development. Phosphorus, together with calcium and vitamin D, forms an

important nutritional triangle, where each

the others.

interacts with

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

17

IRON Iron is needed for the blood’s red

corpuscles.

Iron has

an

for oxygen which the iron in the red corpuscles attracts by the act of breathing. The combination of iron

affinity

and oxygen, called oxyhaemoglobin is then conveyed to all parts of the body, enabling nutrients in the bloodstream to be converted into energy and utilized for

body

maintenance.

A lack of food iron causes low blood pressure. fatigue and anaemia.

pallor,

excessive

COPPER Some copper

be converted into

necessary to enable

dietary iron to needed haemoglobin, by the red corpuscles.

seems

INOSITOL Inositol,

a

molasses. This

complex vitamin, is vitamin apparently helps

B

well

supplied

in

to assimilate fats

and benefits the skin and muscular tissue. There is a

high

concentration of inositol in the lens of the eye and the muscles of the heart, which implies that inositol is

important to clear vision and healthy heart action. There is some evidence that inositol is concerned with

promoting hair growth. The other B complex vitamins in molasses benefit the

system, organs of assimilation and elimination, the skin, eyes, and hair.

nervous

How to Take Molasses Molasses is available in tins and jars, also in small wrapped cubes. The daily dosage when it is not being used to treat a

specific complaint

is

one

teaspoonful,

which

can

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

18

be taken at any time. It should be dissolved in two-thirds of a cup of warm, not hot, water, and sipped rather than gulped. Taken this way, it is more easily assimilated. Some

people prefer such

to take molasses

cases some

straight from the jar,

but in

hot water should be drunk afterwards. At

the other extreme, people with delicate stomachs may find daily dose of molasses easier to digest if the

their

teaspoonful

is taken in several smaller doses at different

times of the

day.

Molasses

puddings, or

can

also

be

used

cakes and biscuits,

as

cooking,

in

well

as in

in

breads,

drinks with milk

fruit juices.

Constipation and Colitis Inadequate bowel function mineral salts

can

as a

result of

deficiency

in

be corrected by taking molasses for at

a month. A teaspoonful in warm water should be sipped on rising. In chronic cases a dessertspoonful or even a tablespoonful should be taken. A further dose should be taken subsequently, before, during or after every meal of the day, according to preference. At all times the molasses should be dissolved in half a cupful of warm water and

least

enough cold water added to make two-thirds of liquid. For children the dose should be halved.

a

cupful

This remedy will be most effective if taken in with kelp daily. (See also under Kelp).

of

conjunction

Colitis has been cured when molasses have been administered internally as an enema. A teaspoonful of molasses should be dissolved in warm water and added to three pints of water, the mixture to be the temperature of blood-heat

(approximately 100° F.).

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

19

Skin Diseases

recognized allopathic treatment for skin eruptions is application of ointment to the affected area. As a result, the poisons which the body is endeavouring to eliminate via the skin are driven back into the system, only to reappear at a later date in a totally new guise, e.g. asthma. So the sufferer gets rid of his unsightly skin affliction, but ultimately he is puzzled and distressed by a The

the

ailment which he certainly does not connect with his previous skin troubles. Molasses, on the contrary, if taken internally will cleanse

new

the blood of the disorder which

At the

same

frequently in

time a

causes

the affected skin

area

the skin eruption. should be soaked

solution of molasses and water. Skin diseases

by this natural, non-suppressive dermatitis, dry eczema, weeping eczema, cured

psoriasis (when this has

Heart Disease High blood pressure

treatment include and some

not been due to emotional

occurs

when

arteries

types of

causes).

lose

their

elasticity and in consequence the heart has to pump much harder in order to force the blood through them. The mineral salts in molasses restore elasticity to the arteries and so remedy this condition. Molasses have also been used successfully in the treatment of angina pectoris and coronary thrombosis. Sufferers from strokes have recovered the

complete

use

of

paralysed

limbs after taking molasses

as

part of their daily diet. Strokes (unless caused by accidents) indicate a deficiency of the mineral salts found in molasses.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

20

Diabetes Diabetes is one of the few diseases for which molasses are not suitable. Diabetic persons should never take molasses:

they should endeavour to treatment.

obtain biochemic or

homoeopathic

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

21

Wh ea tgerm Properties of Wheatgerm It is purely fortuitous serve as a

food for

man

that cereal grains such as wheat and animals, because the purpose of

all seeds (which is what grains are) is to produce The germ of wheat, like the yolk of an egg, is

and the

plants. embryo, by nature

new

an

nutriment that surrounds it is intended

embryo. “wheatgerm”is ill-chosen because to many people the word “germ”conjures up a harmful microbe, to nourish the

The name

whereas it refers to germination, i.e., the beginning of growth of a seed. Wheatgerm is

a

super

food because nature has

packed

into the wheat kernel so much concentrated nutrition. Stone Ground Flour

grinding devices to pulverize peoples still do. Then came the

Our ancestors used crude

grains, use

much

as some native

of two flat stones, the upper stone revolving upon the one. For thousands of years wheat was ground by method. Stone grinding pulverized all parts of the grain

lower

this

and the flour

produced

was

wholemeal in the true

sense

of

the word. Flour In

Milling 1879

the

steel

roller

which crush The crushed

flour

milling process was corrugated steel cylinders the wheat grain by pressure, not by grinding. grain is later passed between smooth rollers to

invented. The steel rollers

are

complete the pulverizing process, after which the wheatgerm or embryo, rich in oil and protein, because of its size and shape.

is

easily separated

22

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

The removal of to

wheatgerm from flour by the millers was shipped overseas. Wheatgerm is highly

enable flour to be

perishable and when left in flour makes it go rancid. The wheatgerm extracted from flour was long regarded as

mill offal. No

one

knew how to utilize it until it

discovered that wheatgerm so it became a stock food. In the meantime,

as

was

man

was

good for farm animals and

continued to eat white flour,

degenerative diseases for which science then had no explanation began to increase enormously. Heart ailments,

various

muscular disorders, nervous diseases, diabetes, paralysis and high blood pressure have all shown a high incidence since the

milling of flour began,

eighty years ago. by Denmark after World War One, when no grains were milled, there was a drop in the number of cases of heart ailments, high blood pressure over

In the official statistics issued

and diabetes. Vitamin F The oil from

wheatgerm

was

discovered in 1922 to be

an

of vitamin E. Since then, vitamin E has been found in some other foods, but only in relatively small

important

quantities. In 1927

College

of

source

Dr.

H.A.

Medicine

Mattill of the University of Iowa the action of vitamin E

studied

deficiency in the diet of rats and found that they ultimately became sterile. Two other research scientists, H.P. Wiesner and A.L. Bacharach, conducted experiments with 76 male rats in 1937 and obtained similar results. Experimentation with rats and chickens showed that a diet without vitamin E eventually resulted in muscular dystrophy and general inability to use the limbs. All

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

symptoms cleared up when the

rats and chickens were

wheatgerm oil. In male humans, vitamin E can result in damage permanent sterility. Pregnant

23

a

severe

to

women

given deficiency of

the

testicles

and

who lack vitamin E

may have miscarriages, but if vitamin E is taken afterwards, future successful pregnancies can be achieved.

According to Dr. Mattill, more vitamin E occurs in the body than any other vitamin. He says “Perhapsno other of the vitamins mysteriously affects so many and so varied bodily

processes.”

Vitamin E Deficiency Some medical writers give the impression that vitamin E is widespread in food and that no problem exists in

obtaining adequate that modern

daily diet. The truth is only probably obtaining a tenth of the to his great-grandfather, because according amounts in the

man is

vitamin E available

to research scientists in the U.S.A., the American diet about 12 to 15 mgms. of vitamin E daily,

supplies only whereas

daily

a

hundred years ago, before foods were refined, the of vitamin E was an estimated 100 to

intake

150 mgms. daily. At the 1949 World Conference

on Vitamin E, it was shown that ageing people may need up to fifty times the ordinary daily intake of 12 mgms. of vitamin E, namely 600 mgms. daily.

Heart

Therapy Wheatgerm oil

is

a source

of

alpha tocopherol,

part of vitamin E, and the only part

so

a

seventh

far known to be

therapeutically effective in both animals and tocopherol has been used in the treatment of

men.

Alpha

heart disease

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

24

Dr. Evan V. Shute of London, Ontario, Canada, and his brother Wilfrid. Because medical journals refused to publish

by

their

findings,

the Shutes founded the Shute Foundation

for Medical Research

as

a

non-profit-making organization.

over 20,000 heart patients with massive doses of alpha tocopherol, in conjunction

Since 1954 they have successfully treated with

specialized

diet.

Supplements Many nutritionists are of the opinion that alpha tocopherol therapy is facilitated by supplements such as the B-complex vitamins, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, dried liver tablets, calcium, and wheatgerm oil concentrate. Their belief is based on the theory that vitamins act on the human system most effectively in conjunction with each other and should not be taken alone, which may upset the important

metabolic balance of the body. Why Alpha Tocopherol Heals The success of the Shute therapy

is explained by the fact tocopherol improves tissue oxygenation; prevents blood coagulating without inducing haemorrhage; can disperse or soften scar tissue; appears to be a muscle stimulant; strengthens the capillary walls; and sometimes acts as a diuretic (promoting the excretion of urine). Alpha tocopherol has also been known to be hypotensive, i.e. it

that

alpha

has caused reduction in blood pressure. Vitamin A

Although wheatgerm is not the richest source of vitamin (the richest source is fish-liver oil), it contains enough to be helpful in promoting healthy eyes. A regular intake of A

25

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

vitamin A is

important for

eye health, and a

deficiency

can

(extreme dryness of the conjunctiva), (dryness with ulceration and perforation of the cornea), or night-blindness. The latter is one of the first signs of vitamin A deficiency. The average adult needs from about 2,500 International Units of vitamin A per day, which is the equivalent of two pounds of wheatgerm. Obviously not all one’s result

in

xerophthalmia keratomalacia

wheatgerm, and there are many substances, especially fresh fruit, vegetables and salads, which contain appreciable amounts. As with many

vitamin A can come from

other

substances,

other vital

be recommended if all

a

varied diet rich in fresh foods is to

our

requirements

are to

be

supplied.

Vitamin Bi

(Thiamine) Wheargerm is not only

an

excellent

source

of vitamin E,

deficiency of vitamin B! may result in pain around the heart, palpitation and shortness of breath. Other ailments that can develop from a lack of vitamin B! are constipation, fatigue, mental depression, low blood pressure and anaemia. Neuritis may also be experienced and the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach will be reduced, causing flatulence and digestive disturbances. Headache, nausea, sleeplessness, poor memory and mental sluggishness often result from an inadequate intake of vitamin B 1. but also contains vitamin B!

(thiamine).

A

The Nervous System Vitamin BI is essential to the integrity of the nervous system. In some near eastern countries where very severe deficiencies of vitamin Bi have been the

trade

practice of polishing

experienced owing

rice to make it whiter,

to a

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

26

disease called ben-ben

has resulted. This ailment manifests

general weakness, paralysis and multiple degeneration, resulting in heart failure, and sometimes death. Children who do not get enough vitamin Bi will stop growing, then develop neuritis, and eventually ben-ben. (See also Brewers’ Yeast). as a

neuritis with

mental

No person under-supplied with vitamin Bi will necessarily manifest all the deficiency ailments mentioned. A

dietary lack of vitamin Bi generally takes different forms in different people, for example, lumbago, shingles, sciatica,

neuralgia, etc., depending

upon

duration of the vitamin B]

deficiency,

the

intensity and the also the age of the

person concerned.

Healthy Eyes Vitamins Bi and B2 (thiamine and riboflavin) are very important for healthy eyes. Lack of thiamine causes nerve changes resulting in eye failure, and lack of riboflavin causes the blood vessels of the conjunctiva to spread into the cornea, causing inflammation.

Serving Wheatgerm Wheatgerm should be

eaten uncooked for

preference,

but

it may be short-cooked if desired. It can be sprinkled over cooked oatmeal, rolled oats or wholemeal porridge and served with milk and honey. To prevent rancidity, wheatgerm should be kept under

refrigeration.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

What

Wheatgerm

27

Contains

Vitamins Vitamin A Vitamin Bi (Thiamine) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Cholin Pantothenic Acid Niacin Para-Amjno-Benzoic Acid Biotin

Amino Acids and Unsaturated Fatty Acids Twelve first class amino acids the basis of protein, and two unsaturated

acids

Minerals Iron Phosphorus Potassium Magnesium Calcium

fatty Sulphur Sodium As well as

several

trace elements.

Inositol

(The last six

are B

complex

vitamins) Vitamin E Half

a cup of wheatgerm, i.e. 100 grams supplies: Vitamin A, 400 units; Vitamin E, 27 mgms.; Vitamin Bi, 2.6mgms.; Vitamin B2, 0.75 mgm.; Phosphorus, 1,050 mgms.; Calcium, 71 mgms.; Iron, 7.5 mgms.; Protein, 24 grams, and appreciable amounts of other B complex vitamins and amino and unsaturated fatty acids.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

28

Kelp Properties of Kelp Kelp is a sea plant and grows in Pacific Ocean, but only where the grows best at a depth of from six to roots

great abundance in the ocean bed is rocky. It ten fathoms and has no

but anchors itself to rocks by “holdfasts”, i.e., tough, cables. Kelp sometimes grows fifty feet in one year

rope-like

and may reach a length of seven hundred feet. so it is one of the largest plants known to man. It is olive brown in colour and has

kelp, depth of which

large single lanceolate leaves. When

a massive

are

cutter

is

lowered into the

harvesting

ocean

to

a

three feet and it shears off the tops of plants, carried to the boat on a conveyor belt.

kelp is unloaded by heavy forks which deposit it hopper where it is chopped fine, then dried, sterilized shredded. The dried kelp is then powdered and

The cut in

a

and

tabletted. Rich Source of Iodine

Kelp is the best source of iodine, essential to the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. This gland is located in front

lower part of the neck and secretes and into the bloodstream a potent hormone called

of the

discharges

thyroxin, which contains about 64 per cent. of iodine. The thyroid gland regulates the energy discharge of the body, maintains its normal temperature of 98.6 degrees and exerts an important influence over the other glands of the

body’s endocrine system. Every seventeen minutes the entire volume of blood passes through the thyroid gland to become charged with its secretions. This gland, in the opinion of some medical

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

authorities,

filters

out

matter

poisonous

and

29

destroys

micro-organisms that break in

the

may enter the bloodstream through a skin; by way of the nose or throat; by

contaminated food passes

or

drink,

etc.

Each time

through the thyroid gland,

the blood

virulent germs

even

become weaker until they are killed. Iodine helps to relax nervous tension and induces sound

thinking and the memory. difficulty in concentrating and remembering, because of poor circulation of blood to and restful

It aids clear

sleep.

When iodine is deficient there is

the brain, iodine starts a fire to consume the food we eat,

thereby keeping “burned up” in

our

the

weight normal. Food not properly body becomes fatty tissue and is a

health hazard and an encumbrance.

Hazards of Iodine

If

an

Deficiency

expectant mother is

not

supplied

with sufficient

iodine

during pregnancy her baby may fail to develop normally. If the iodine deficiency is severe the baby may be characterized by dwarfing, mental retardation, defective speech, clumsy gait, sparse hair, pallor and anaemia. It is understood that in known “goitre belts”, a

cretin

(idiot),

homes for subnormal children include such inmates. Should

a

severe

lack of iodine

occur

in

later life, the

myxedema can result. This ailment is marked by a gradual change in the personality. There is a thickened skin and puffiness of hands and face, especially about the eyelids. The tongue is large and the speech slow and deep toned. Mental apathy, drowsiness and sensitivity disease known

to cold

as

are common symptoms. Deficiencies and deformities caused during the period of growth by a lack of iodine cannot be rectified later by

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

30

taking iodine. There is a distinctive thick-legged, heavyhipped, “goitrebelt”figure in women which, once acquired during adolescence, cannot be changed. Goitre

frequently causes goitre, which is an of the enlargement thyroid gland. This enlargement is an attempt by the gland to compensate for the deficiency of A lack of iodine

iodine and

the inadequate supply more efficiently. gland overworks in trying to secrete more thyroxin than it has the component (iodine) to do it with. to utilize

The

The result is that it

enlarges and causes pressure and fullness danger signal. during adolescence when the body’s greatest, and is more prevalent among

of the neck, which is a Goitre often occurs

need for iodine is girls than boys. Puberty, pregnancy, childbirth and the menopause are conditions that require more thyroxin than usual, and so the thyroid gland is often slightly enlarged at these times. After the emergency is over, the gland may decrease in size, or continue to grow, especially if not enough iodine is present. Symptoms of Goitre In mild cases the

gland may still manage to secrete enough thyroxin to prevent visible signs of goitre, i.e., swollen throat, bulging eyes, etc., but there may be difficulty in swallowing, hoarseness, cough and laboured breathing. When the

thyroid gland fails to secrete sufficient the thyroxin, person becomes lazy, lacks endurance, and puts on weight. Because of decreased energy the heart slows

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

31

down, there is poor circulation, with cold hands and feet, lifeless hair that lacks lustre and falls out easily, and thin nails that split and break readily. The memory is usually faulty and there are frequent severe headaches. Lack of iodine may also result in the bone marrow failing to produce sufficient red blood corpuscles, giving rise to

finger

anaemia and causing fatigue to become intensified. Recent surveys in America indicate that forty per cent. of the

women

abnormally

are suffering from of thyroxin, leading to some or production

in

low

all of the above

that conditions It

is

many

communities

symptoms. There is

are

no

reason to

believe

better in Australia and New Zealand.

customary in thyroid deficiency to administer which contain thyroxin obtained from the

thyroid tablets thyroid glands for any length enfeebled, like

Exopthalmic

of

sheep,

but when these tablets

are

taken

of time the thyroid gland usually becomes an arm

kept

in

a

sling.

Goitre

There is another form of goitre called “exopthalmic”in which too much thyroxin is secreted by the thyroid gland. In this ailment all the

up, the

heart beats too

food is

bodily processes are speeded rapidly, there is a rapid pulse, and

rushed through the body before all the nutriment has been extracted from it: the patient loses weight because of ill nourishment (despite an increased appetite) and suffers

from the heat. The most prominent feature of this ailment is the eyes, which protrude from their sockets. Such people cannot relax because their nerves are continually in tension

they require careful medical treatment. Apart from iodine, vitamins A, B complex, C and E are essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. A and

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

32

deficiency of any or all of these vitamins can cause a serious decrease in the body’s output of thyroxin. Tincture of iodine, prepared as an antiseptic for external use, is a

poison and should

never

be used internally.

Goitre in History There is mention of goitre in Alpine settlements by writers in the first century A.D., and Marco Polo in the thirteenth century wrote of the prevalence of goitre in the Central Asian

plateau.

Burnt sponge (a source of iodine) was prescribed by mediaeval physicians for goitre, but the need for iodine to prevent goitre remained controversial during most of the

nineteenth century and it was not unil 1896 that the discovery was made that the thyroid gland, as compared with the other tissues, is rich in iodine. In 1915 the hormone thyroxin (secreted

gland)

was

by the thyroid first isolated and twelve years later it was

synthesized. Goitre Throughout the World Research has shown that mountainous areas remote from the sea, e.g. Switzerland, the plateau region of Western China, the Andes Mountain region of South America, the Great Lakes District and the Pacific Northwest of North America, etc., are deficient in iodine. On the other hand, of the earth which were once covered with inland

areas

seas, In

now contain

a

soils rich in iodine.

world survey, Japan

was

non-goitrous nation, with only million

people.

shown to be virtually a case of goitre per

one

Seaweed contains

more

iodine than any

33

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

other food and has formed

part of the Japanese diet for

many generations. Sea water is estimated to contain about 25 parts of iodine per billion and marine plants such as seaweed and sponges have

instance, the

a

large capacity for iodine absorption. For

common

seaweed Faminaria contains iodine

equivalent to 0.5 per cent. of its dry weight. Prevalence of Goitre Goitre is more prevalent today among both sexes than may be imagined. Some years ago a survey conducted in the U.S.A. among school children in Cincinnati elementary schools showed that 30 per cent. of the boys and 55 per cent. of the girls had goitre. Studies made in Minnesota by the U.S. Department of Public Health revealed that 70 per cent. of the girls and 40 per cent. of the boys had goitre. Even in Portland, Oregon, which is near the Pacific coast, 40 per cent. of the girls and 22 per cent. of the boys were

goitrous. Experiments made in the U.S.A. by giving iodized salt

to

2,190 schoolgirls in Akron resulted in only five girls getting goitre, whereas among 2,300 untreated schoolgirls almost 500 of them developed goitre. In the oceans are dissolved practically all the chemical elements washed down by rivers. They are taken up by kelp and other marine plants and absorbed into their structure. Marine

plants

conserve

minerals and when kelp is consumed help regulate his

by man, the minerals are absorbed to processes of metabolism.

Analysis of An

Kelp analysis of

an

following elements:

average

sample of kelp revealed

the

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

34

Per Cent. .18

Iodine

1.05

Calcium

Phosphorus

.339

Iron

.37

.0008

Copper Potassium

11.15

Magnesium Manganese Sodium Chlorine

.740 .0015 3.98 13.07 1.0

Sulphur

Trace elements in kelp, not listed above, are: Barium, Boron, Chromium, Lithium, Nickel, Silicon, Silver, Strontium, Titanium, Vanadium, and Zinc, but kelp contains at least sixty elements, more than twelve vitamins,

riboflavin, niacin, twenty-one amino acids. including

choline

and

carotin,

and

The iodine content, and also that of the other minerals, tends to vary

kelp

is

according to the time of gathered. The limits are around

year and where the

.15 per cent. to .20

per cent. iodine content. Deficiency Ailments of

Many deficiency diseases have over-processed, refined and

developed due to the use factory-produced foods.

They are diseases arising from a lack of essential nutrients, which are removed from foods before they reach the consumer. Iron

anaemia.

The

nickel, just

as

safeguard us against nutritional parathyroid gland and the pancreas need and copper

the thyroid gland requires iodine. The adrenal

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

35

magnesium and the pituitary gland and chlorine. Kelp contains them all and the manganese work of these elements in the body is to obtain action they act as self-starters. glands

require

for Vital Organs Kelp has an affinity

Kelp

this organ,

supplying it healthy activity. Kelp

strengthen

will a

acts directly upon with the mineral salts needful for

can also clear an obstructed gall weak pancreas. It cleans and tones the reduce an enlarged prostate gland, and

bladder and benefit kidneys,

for the liver and

a

weak uterus.

Constipation Constipation should never be regarded as a minor ailment for it is the breeding ground of deep-seated disease. With elimination impaired or halted, poisons accumulate in the colon and eventually result in a highly toxic bloodstream. Purgatives are worse than useless and have the effect of The poisoned state of the colon is making the bowel “lazy”. as “auto-toxaemia”, a condition which can be remedied by taking kelp. It is the antiseptic iodine in kelp which combats the toxins. (See also under Molasses).

known

Rheumatism Most people, especially in Britain, associate rheumatic disorders with a damp climate. In fact, rheumatism is just as prevalent in sunny Australia because its basic cause is a toxic system. Kelp, by virtue of its cleansing tissue salts, will assist the healing process if taken in conjunction with fresh green salads and vegetables, parsley, carrots, celery and radish tops.

36

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

Nervous Disorders Some nervous disorders are caused

by lack of certain

cell

salts, especially potassium, phosphorus, iron and sodium, and the elements of zinc, silver, lead and copper. Kelp has

been found of great value in such cases,

relieve

nervous

enables sufferers

as

iodine

helps

tension, promotes relaxation and thus to

sleep

better and

renew

their energy.

Headaches

especially those at the base of the skull, have a regular intake of kelp. Trouble in the (membranes of the brain and spinal cord) and

Headaches,

been alleviated by

meninges other neck pains and congestion the use of kelp.

can

also often be cured by

Indigestion Certain digestive troubles, especially where the pylorus is involved, are known to respond to treatment with kelp. Small doses are given to alleviate spasms in the pylorus which hinder the process of digestion. for duodenal ulcers, as it decreases

generally

Kelp

is also

excess

helpful acidity and

tones the stomach.

Other Uses

Kelp has also been found helpful in the treatment of obesity, flatulence, coughs, colds and bronchitis, impotency, ovarian pain, irregular periods, depression, arterial disorders and high blood pressure, and (in some cases) anaemia. Iodized Salt Iodized salt is

produced by adding

one

part of sodium

or

37

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

potassium iodide

100,000 parts of

to

iodine

content

within

salt. It is

common

generally used in iodine-deficient areas, objections to its use. Iodized salt may lose

but

there

are

one-third of its

weeks, depending upon atmospheric certainty how much

six

conditions and so there is no

iodine

is contained

in iodized salt. Ef you are

depending

upon it to protect you against thyroid trouble, you could be grossly deceived.

Another

objection placed

is that sodium or

chemical not

objection

in common salt

is that most

it is unwise to

people already

depend

potassium iodide is a by nature. A third

use too

upon one’s salt intake

much salt and as a source

of

iodine.

Dosage Because of wide variations in the iodine content of soils and water sources

supplies, foods

other than seafoods

are

unreliable

of iodine.

No fixed amount of iodine per person has been scientifically established, but some authorities consider it is

approximately requirement

0.1

and

milligram daily. This be inadequate

may

health in all circumstances. Kelp contains iodine in

is

a minimum

to

daily

promote good

easily assimilated form Two advisable, but those living in iodine-deficient districts should take up to six tablets daily.

or

three

kelp

tablets daily

an

are

Soil Deficient in Iodine Drinking water treated

with

amount of iodine stored in the too much common salt may

of iodine.

chlorine may

reduce

body. People who

the

consume

also diminish their body’s store

38

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

Sandy soils and soils lacking in humus are more likely to clay or humus soil. Soils in glaciated

be short of iodine than areas

sometimes

contain

little iodine because the ice has

carried away the ancient soil with its vegetation and soil bacteria, and the formation of new soil is a slow process. Some Pacific seaboard cities in the U.S.A. draw their water

supplies from snow fed rivers, or mountain water, which lack iodine. If a soil is deficient in iodine, crops raised on that soil will lack iodine and humans and farm stock that eat those crops

can

carrots

a shortage of iodine. For example, “goitre belt” contained less than a

suffer from

raised

in

a

two-hundredth part of the iodine content of carrots grown En animals, an iodine shortage gives rise to serious breeding difficulties. Offspring may be stillborn and

elsewhere.

there is trouble with lactation. According to official Australian sources, there is an iodine deficiency over the whole of Tasmania and throughout Gippsland, Victoria. There are also iodine deficient in the Tablelands of N.S.W., the Eastern Highlands and their drainage areas, and in some of the East Coastal valleys of N.S.W., also in Southern Queensland. Wide areas areas

of both the North and South Islands of New Zealand

are

iodine deficient.

Kelp

as

Fertilizer

Soil throughout the world is becoming impoverished through the misguided application of chemical fertilizers. Yet kelp is a proven fertilizer and will renew and oxygenate exhausted soil within two crops raised in soil

so

or

three years. Moreover, the

treated will be free from disease.

Supporters of chemical farming claim that their methods

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

39

are necessary to increase yield. But soil treated with kelp produces larger root vegetables and causes surface crops to grow more prolifically.

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

40

Yogurt Early

Research

Until recent years it was not possible to refrigerate milk. In several countries, however, namely Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, Algeria, Egypt, Arabia, India, China, etc., people discovered ages ago how to prepare palatable and nutritious dishes from soured milk. In some of these countries, milk is obtained not

sheep, goats

only

from cows, but from camels, mares,

and buffaloes.

Early in the present century, research began upon soured milk and its effect upon the body. The inquiry was initiated by Prof. Elie Metchnikoff, then sub-director of the famous Pasteur Institute, Paris. In 1908 he wrote The Prolongation of Life. In this book Metchnikoff discussed the length of the intestinal tract of various kinds of animals and advanced the idea that

unfriendly microbes

in the intestines could be

responsible putrefies in the intestines of some animals and Metchnikoff pointed out that animals in which intestinal putrefaction did not occur, appeared to live longer than man, in a relative sense. for disease and premature death. Food

The Intestinal Tract

(colon) in man is approximately five normally inhabited by trillions of bacteria which break down and help to eliminate the waste products of digestion. The bacteria are known as the The

large

to six feet

intestine

long and

is

intestinal flora and their proliferation is influenced by the kind of food eaten. Two principal types of bacteria exist intestine, i.e., the unfriendly type called

in

the

large

B. coli which

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

produces putrefactive changes, and Lactobacillus, which produce

called

41

the friendly bacteria lactic acid ferments

healthful to the body and detrimental to hostile bacteria. Long before science had discovered bacteria, people seemed to realize that by eating acid foods such as yogurt and other foods, mostly fruits and vegetables that had undergone acid fermentation and by drinking cider vinegar, they could regulate the acidity of their bodies and thereby neutralize putrefactive changes in the large intestine. In health, the putrefactive bacteria are kept in check by the lactic acid the

absorption

forming bacteria which latter also promote of vitamins, calcium and other minerals.

The Effect of

Drugs Much of the intestinal flora

is

rapidly destroyed after as penicillin, cause multiple

sulpha drugs and such antibiotics streptomycin and aureomycin, which in turn taking B

complex vitamin deficiencies. Disorders such as constipation, indigestion, sickness, loss of appetite, lack of and depression can result, and the inclusion of yogurt energy in the diet while taking such drugs helps to replace the missing micro-organisms within thirty-six to forty-eight hours. Today, we are probably all ingesting antibiotics and other drugs in our daily food. It is known, for example, that mastitis in dairy cows is treated extensively with pencillin, some of which finds its way into milk, butter and cream. it is known too that the powerful insecticide D.D.T.

used to cope with flies in dairies, is later found in dairy products.

Middle-aged and elderly people often experience digestive disorders owing to lack of hydrochloric acid in the

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

42

This

stomach.

proteins and

acid

is

vitamin C.

essential

for

the

assimilation

of

Yogurt supplies much wanted acid

to those deficient in stomach acid.

Yogurt and Disease Germs Laboratory tests of yogurt

as detailed in The American

by three research scientists, showed that the whey from yogurt killed a total of eighteen harmful bacteria, including those of dysentery and pneumonia. Lactobacillus in the large intestine create an environment unfavourable to the development of the unfriendly bacteria

Practitioner of December

B.

coli, because

putrefaction, Prof.

the

1950 and conducted

latter, which

form gas

and

cause

cannot live in lactic acid.

H.C.

Sherman

of

Columbia

University, U.S.A.,

wrote in Food and Health:

hygiene, which buoyant health and a

“Intestinal

between

sometimes

involving

the

may

make

listlessness

headache

the

difference

malaise, of so-called autoor vague

depends largely upon the predominance of another type of bacterial action in the food residue which reaches the large intestine.” intoxication, one or

Metchnikoff went so far as to declare that old age and senility are attributable to toxins that cause hardening of the arteries. These toxins, he says, arise from the colon, due to the action of putrefactive bacteria. Yogurt

as a

Remedy

contains copious quantities of Lactobacillus, and medical science considers that yogurt is beneficial in allergies and in such intestinal ailments as colitis, dysentery

Yogurt

and infantile gastro-enteritis. Cases of chronic migraine have

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

been

known

to

respond

ulcers among many

to

other

yogurt,

as

digestive

43

also have stomach

disorders. It is also

effective in constipation, flatulence and ailments as poor appetite, stomach

such children’s

“upsets” and

emaciation. But yogurt is an ideal food for

because it includes in so

a

palatable

many of the best properties of

prevent tooth decay and aids in the In

absorption

healthy children too, easily digested form milk. It also helps to healthy teeth. Yogurt

and

to preserve

of iron.

milk

proteins are partially digested by the fermenting process, and the milk calcium is dissolved by lactic acid contained in yogurt. yogurt,

enzymes

(ferments) during

Weight Regulations Yogurt is of value in regulating weight. Overweight people will find that daily use of yogurt will help get rid of excess fat and prevent the storage by the body of surplus fats. On the other hand, people who are under weight will find themselves putting on weight as a daily intake of yogurt helps build up poor muscle and flesh. Does

Eating Yogurt

Promote

Longevity?

A 1930 census revealed that there were

more

than 160

Bulgarians over a hundred years old to every million of population, compared with only 9 persons per million in the U.S.A. It is reported that baldness and white hair are practically unknown in Bulgaria, where yogurt forms part of the daily diet. The Bulgarians are also renowned for their clear complexions, strong teeth and lack of stomach ulcers More than the average number of health centenarians are said by travellers to live in Balkan countries, in South

44

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

Russia, and in the adjoining nations where yogurt is

eaten

daily. Yogurt is Made If milk is left standing

How

at room

because of bacteria in the

lactic acid forms and bacteria

a

sours,

During souring,

proliferate.

With this kind of souring there is the end result, for the bacteria

uncontrolled, but if

temperature it

air and milk.

no way

which

of controlling cause

it

are

known culture, i.e., Lactobacillus

warm milk, yogurt results. is made Yogurt by heating milk to 105-120 degrees F.,

Bulgaricus is added to

seeding with

it with a pure culture of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus or of the previous day’s yogurt containing this

some

bacteria, covering the vessel, and maintaining

temperature for three milk

the

sugar

(lactose)

lactic acid forms it

a

constant

to four hours. The bacteria thrive on

causes

and convert it to lactic acid. As the milk to thicken like

and by adding fruit extracts, imparted to yogurt.

a

a

variety of flavours

custard can

be

The importance of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus in yogurt is that they thrive in the large intestine at normal body temperature (98.6 degrees F.) whereas the bacteria found in sour

F.,

milk and butter-milk cannot survive beyond 90 degrees 8Y2 degrees less than body temperature, consequently

i.e.,

they cannot be utilized by the body. incidentally, ordinary sour milk should not be eaten if the milk was pasteurized. Such sour milk is putrid, and the putrefying bacteria

can

be

dangerous.

of Yogurt Some yogurts are

Storage

artificially made,

in that a chemical is

45

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

bring about very quickly the changes in milk which produce yogurt. Such varieties have to be eaten within a day or two of manufacture, and the last safe date should be indicated on them. Properly prepared yogurt, if correctly stored in a cool place, should keep its flavour for at least a fortnight. A month after manufacture it will still be edible, but with a slight change in flavour, for the bacteria are still alive and acting as a preservative. Yogurt (both plain and flavoured) is available in cartons and from many Health Food and other shops in most cities. Because of its perishable nature, yogurt is not widely used elsewhere.

used to

To meet the needs of those who cannot obtain yogurt, a spray dried yogurt tablet can be procured from many Health Food shops. This tablet is not intended for making

yogurt,

it is yogurt and is

How to Eat There

well

as

natural

ready for immediate

use.

Yogurt several ways of

adding yogurt to your diet, as from the carton. If the taste of eating straight yogurt is too sharp, especially after it has been are

it

stored for several days,

a

little brown sugar

or

natural fruit

juice can be added. Natural yogurt can be added to salads in place of the usual salad dressing, and also makes a tasty addition to soups. Chopped fresh eaten

as

a

sweet

have their

or

soaked dried fruits

flavouring enhanced by the be added to fruit or vegetable

addition of yogurt, and it can juices and ice for a refreshing summer drink. An imaginative cook will be able to find other dishes, both sweet and

savoury, which

are

improved by including yogurt.

Nutritive Value of Yogurt A cupful of yogurt, i.e., 246 grams, yields the following:

FIVE NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOODS

46

120 calories, 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrate, 295 mgms. of calcium, 0.1 mgm. of iron, 170 units of vitamin A, 0.09 mgms. of vitamin B!, 0.43 mgms. of vitamin B2, 0.2 mgms. of niacin, 2 mgms. vitamin C, together with traces of unsaturated fatty acids.

There

are

few

Foods

comparable

nutritive and digestive properties.

with yogurt for its

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