The Allinson Vegetarian Cookery Book | Page 4

better for the health of each individual if the plainer dishes only are prepared for the daily table. I wish here to impress on vegetarians, and those who wish to give the diet a trial, not to eat much pulse; this is the rock on which many "would-be vegetarians" come to grief. They take these very concentrated, nitrogenous foods in rather large quantities, because they have an idea that only they will support them when the use of meat is abandoned. They are foods which, to be beneficial to the system of the consumer, require a great deal of muscular exertion on his part. The results to persons of sedentary habits of eating pulse foods often are indigestion, heavy and dull feelings, and general discomfort. In my own household butter beans, the most concentrated of all foods, come on the table perhaps once a month, lentils or peas perhaps once a week. None but those persons who have strong digestive organs should eat pulse foods at all; and then only when they have plenty of physical work to do. I have known several people who tried vegetarianism who have given up the trial in despair, and, when I inquired closely into the causes, the abuse of pulse food was generally the chief one.
I will now give a list of the composition of the various foods, which may be instructive and useful to those to whom the study of dietetics is new, as well as to vegetarians who may wish to use it for reference. The list is copied from a little pamphlet by A.W. Duncan, published by the Vegetarian Society in Manchester.
BUTCHERS' MEAT AND FISH.
Flesh F.?100 Parts Albuminoids. Gristle, Fat. Extractives, Mineral Water. Contain Ossein, etc. &c. Matter.
Mutton Chop 7.6 1.2 42.0 4.1 1.0 44.1 Mutt'n C.Bone -- 18.7 9.0 -- 40.1 32.2 Beef 8.0 7.0 30.0 -- 5.0 50.0 Pork 4.5 5.5 50.0 -- 1.5 38.5 Fowl 14.0 7.0 -- -- 2.5 76.5
Mackerel 13.5 12.5 2.2 3.1 68.7
Herring 10.0 7.0 -- 2.0 81.0
Bacon 8.1 65.2 3.8 0.6 22.3



Heat-producers?100 Parts Flesh- Starch, Fat. Mineral Indigestible Water. Contain formers. Sugar, &c. Matter. Fibre.
GRAINS.
Wheat, White?English 11.0 69.0 1.2 1.7 2.6 14.5 Fine Flour,?from white?soft Wheat 10.5 74.3 0.8 0.7 0.7 13.0 Coarse Bran 15.0 44.0 4.0 6.0 17.0 14.0 Household?Flour, J.B. 16.2 69.0 1.1 0.7 0.5 11.8 Oatm'l, fresh?Scotch 16.1 63.0 10.1 2.1 3.7 5.0 Buckwheat,?husk free 15.2 63.6 3.4 2.3 2.1 13.4 Pearl Barley 6.2 76.0 1.3 1.1 0.8 14.6 Barley Meal 11.7 71.0 1.7 0.5 0.1 15.0 Rye flour 10.5 71.0 1.6 1.6 2.3 13.0 Maize 9.0 64.5 5.0 2.0 5.0 14.5 Rice, cleaned 7.5 76.0 0.5 0.5 0.9 14.6
PULSE.
Peas 22.4 51.3 2.5 3.0 6.5 14.3 Lentils 24.0 49.0 2.6 3.0 6.9 14.5 Haricots 23.0 52.3 2.3 2.9 5.5 14.0
NUTS.
Walnuts[F] 12.5 8.9 31.6 1.7 0.8 44.5 Filberts[F] 8.4 11.1 28.5 1.5 2.5 48.0 Cocoa Nut,?solid kernel 5.5 8.1 35.9 1.0 2.9 46.6
ROOTS AND TUBERS.
Potatoes, K. 1.8 20.6 0.2 1.0 0.7 75.7 Turnips,?white 0.5 4.0 0.1 0.8 1.8 92.8 Carrots 0.5 5.0 0.2 1.0 4.3 89.0 Parsnips 1.2 8.7 1.5 1.0 5.6 81.0 Beetroot 0.4 13.4 0.1 3.0 0.9 82.2 Jerusalem?Artichokes 2.0 14.4 0.5 1.1 2.0 80.0 Onions 1.5 4.8 0.2 0.5 2.0 91.0 Radishes, C. 0.5 1.0 -- 1.1 2.2 95.0
LEAVES, STEMS, STALKS, AND WHOLE PLANTS.
Cabbage 1.5 5.8 0.5 1.2 2.0 89.0 Sea Kale 2.4 2.8 -- 0.6 0.9 93.3 Celery 1.2 3.8 -- 0.8 0.9 93.3 Mushrooms 5.0 3.8 0.7 0.5 -- 90.0 Lettuce 0.7 1.0 0.2 1.0 0.5 96.0 Watercress 1.7 2.7 0.5 1.3 0.7 93.1 Irish Moss 9.4 55.4 -- 14.2 2.2 18.8 Rhubarb[A] 0.9 2.1 -- 0.5 1.1 95.1
FRUITS.
Apples 0.4 12.0 1.0[B] 0.4 3.2 83.0 Pears 0.3 11.6 0.1[B] 0.3 3.7 84.0 Gooseberries 0.4 8.9 1.5[C] 0.5 2.7 86.0 Grapes 0.7 16.1 0.8[D] 0.4 2.0 80.0 Strawberr's K. 1.0 6.8 1.0[B] 0.8 2.3 87.7 Currants, K. 0.5 7.3 2.1[B] 0.7 4.6 84.8 Cherries[E] K. 0.6 11.4 0.9[B] 0.7 6.1 80.3 Plums[E] K. 0.8 11.0 0.9[B] 0.7 5.4 81.2 Peaches[E] 0.5 9.8 0.7[B] 0.6