Meat - meats, flesh, foods, food, diet, protein, fat and especially

MEAT, in the narrowest sense, the flesh of veal, beef, pork, lamb and mutton producing animals. In a broader sense, meat includes the flesh of other animals such as fowls and birds. In a still broader sense, meat includes all the parts of the animal body used as food. This would classify lean flesh, fat flesh, skin, edible glands and organs all as meat. Such products contain water, protein, fat and mineral matter, together with small amounts of glycogen, meat extractives and other miscellaneous organic sub stances. The fat content will vary with the fatness of the animal. As the fat increases the other constituents decrease. The ac companying table gives the composition of typical flesh of various degrees of fatness.

Percentage Composition of Flesh (Beef) Other edible parts differ more or less from the flesh in composi tion, although the same constituents are present and in somewhat similar proportions. The following table gives the composition of certain edible organs and parts. While the analyses given are for tissues of the beef animal, they represent rather accurately the kidney are especially rich in vitamins. Tongue and heart have a somewhat lower vitamin content. Lean flesh has ample quantities of vitamins B (the pellagra-preventing part of this complex) and E (the anti-sterility vitamin). The other vitamins are found in small quantity in flesh. The body fats may contain fair amounts of vitamin A. The content of vitamin C (the scurvy-preventing vitamin) is of little importance when the meat is cooked. How Digestibility.—The various meats and organs of animals are almost completely digested in the stomach and intestines. On the average, the fats are about 96% digestible, while the proteins may be even more completely digested. In addition to being almost entirely digestible, these animal foods are satisfying; that is, they remain in the stomach longer than starch and sugar foods and so they postpone the feeling of hunger. The fatter meats remain in the stomach longer than the leaner meats.

Food Value.

The food value of meat depends upon its con tent of protein, fat, mineral matter (or ash) and vitamins. The protein is the most important constituent, both on account of the quantity present and also because of its quality. Proteins have 18 or 20 constituent parts or kinds of "building stones," known as amino acids. These are of varying importance as food. Meat, especially the lean flesh, liver, kidney, heart and tongue, has a very complete assortment of these amino acids, and therefore stands very high in the scale of protein foods.

Meat has some of all the necessary minerals. It is especially

valuable for its phosphorus and iron. Recent investigations, ever, Eskimos and Arctic explorers have proven that fresh and under-cooked meat, when eaten in quantity, will cure or prevent scurvy.

Use in the Diet.

Meats are of importance in the diet not only on account of their food value but also because of their flavour and their stimulating effect upon the flow of digestive juices. Meat, especially the extractives, stimulates digestion by increasing the amount and activity of the gastric juice. It con especially with cases of pernicious anaemia, have shown that liver, kidney and lean meat are some of the most important iron containing foods. The meats are low in calcium, another very important mineral element. This deficiency should be supplied by milk, cheese and the green, leafy vegetables. Meats, fish and cereals contain an excess of acid-forming over base-forming min eral elements. Vegetables and most fruits contain an excess of base forming mineral elements. In order to balance the diet with respect to this factor, one should use foods from both groups in about equal proportions. Meat and potatoes, tongue and spinach, corned beef and cabbage, and spare ribs and sauerkraut are examples of combinations which meet this requirement.

Meats contain some of the important vitamins. Liver and trasts nicely in flavour with starchy and bland foods, and so helps in adding flavour to mixed dishes and to the diet as a whole. Since the proteins are very complete, they help to balance the less complete proteins found in cereals and vegetables.

Healthfulness.

Properly inspected, stored and prepared, meat is a healthy food, useful in the diet of most normal people. Being a good food of fairly high water content, fresh meat must be stored in refrigerated rooms or boxes until it is consumed. Otherwise it may spoil, just as milk, eggs, fish and other high protein foods. Cured meats keep better than fresh meats. In common with most of these same foods, the animals and their meats should be given careful inspection by competent persons to ensure their wholesomeness. This is done under Government inspection in all establishments engaged in interstate trade.

The use of meats in a mixed diet can not be said to lead to any disease or disturbance of bodily metabolism. Certain sects or groups of individuals believe such things, but science and the medical profession have shown there is no basis for such beliefs. On the contrary, the use of meats in a mixed diet is one of the factors that will lead to good health through proper nourishment.