Nutrition in everyday practice.

Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Nutrition in everyday practice. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    52/100 (page 46)
    Vegetables.—The actual energy value, or caloric value, of vegetables is comparatively low; they belong to the protective as distinguished from the energy-producing foods on account of their more abundant mineral and vitamin content. They are especially valuable for the prevention of nutritional anaemia. Green and root vegetables may be included in the diet at the 2 p.m. feeding from the 8th month. To accustom the infant to the different tastes, they should be served separately rather than in mixtures. Selections may be made from carrots, chard, green peas, green lima beans, fresh asparagus, string beans, young beet greens, and cooked lettuce. Spinach should not be served to the exclusion of other greens, to most of which it is inferior nutritionally. When 1 year old the child may also have squash, celery, beets, cauliflower and kale. To reduce loss of minerals and vitamins in discarded cooking water, vegetables should be cooked in the least amount of water possible. The cooking water should be served with the vegetable or used in vegetable and meat soups. The amount of water remaining on green leafy vegetables (with the exception of cabbage) after washing is sufficient for cooking. Green leafy vegetables should be cooked in a saucepan until soft, from 10 to 15 minutes, with frequent stirring to prevent burning. In a double boiler from 30 to 45 minutes usually suffices to cook soft root and stalk vegetables which have been chopped fine. The soft cooked vegetables and greens are put through a sieve or strainer. Canned sieved vegetables are obtainable today, many 1 of which are the equal or superior of the home-prepared article. Baked potato is also valuable, but must not take the place of other i* vegetables. At the end of the second year sieving is no longer u necessary, simple mashing of vegetables being sufficient. Fruits.—Apple sauce or apricot or prune pulp may be given for supper, beginning with the 10th month. Prunes or dried apricots should be soaked over night and cooked until soft enough to mash through a strainer. Banana when well ripened (shown by the skin presenting brown patches) may be served raw after thorough mashing with a fork. After the first year baked apples, stewed pears and peaches, and scraped raw apple may be included k in the diet. Meat and fish.—Scraped beef may be added in the latter part 1 of the first year. This is prepared by scraping lean round steak t across the grain with a dull knife or sharp spoon. The meat thus i obtained is made into a patty and lightly cooked under the broiler on both sides, or in the top part of a double boiler over hot water. Later, boiled, broiled or roasted and finely divided beef, lamb, [j chicken or liver may be used. Steamed, baked or boiled and care- h fully boned non-oily fresh fish, such as cod, haddock or halibut, may be fed once or twice weekly. Prohibited foods.—The following foods should not be given to I young children: greasy and highly seasoned foods; fried foods^of> all kinds (except crisp bacon); fresh bread and bread-stuffs; pies,