The elements of the science of nutrition by Lusk Graham

Author:Lusk, Graham
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Nutrition
Publisher: Philadelphia, Saunders
Published: 1919-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

Thomas^ took on three successive days an average of 2760 grams of fresh bananas which were not completely ripe, and to this he added 300 grams of sugar. This gave a total intake of 4.32 grams of nitrogen and 2741 calories daily. Although a preliminary diet of starch and sugar had reduced the urinary nitrogen to 3 grams at the beginning of the experiment, nitrogen equilibrium could not be obtained when the above noted amount of bananas was ingested. The unripened starch of the banana is eliminated in the feces. Ripe banana in which almost all the starch has been converted into glucose is very completely digestible. Whereas five parts of potato protein may replace four of body protein in establishing nitrogen equiUbrium, the protein of banana is not so efiicient. Yet in tropical countries, such as the sea-coast of East Africa, the Congo, and in the Pacific Islands, during the six months of the rainy season (in which the banana is ripe), it furnishes almost the exclusive diet of the natives. It is preferred to potatoes because it can be obtained almost without labor. Banana flour is also prepared in these localities by drying unripe bananas in the sun.

If water be taken when the stomach is empty it quickly passes through the pylorus into the intestine. Taken with food, however, its exit from the stomach is considerably delayed; the delay accounts for some of the pleasure of afternoon tea when taken with toast. Beer remains in the stomach longer than water, and this may be due to the extractive substances or to a narcotizing effect upon the musculature of the stomach.2

Atwater and Benedict' have conclusively shown that alcohol may be used in the economy in place of isodynamic quantities of carbohydrates and fats. The following table shows the average of experiments on a resting individual which lasted twenty-three days:

* Thomas: "Archiv fiir Physiologie," 1910, Suppl., p. 29.

* Grobbels: "Zeitschrift fiir physiologische Chemie," 1914, Ixxxix, i.

* Atwater and Benedict: "Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences," Washington, 1902, viii, 231.

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