Prayer.
Review memory gems from Spirit of prophphecy.
What is a vitamin? Vitamins are organic chemical substances, present in very minute quantities in nature, and indispensable to nor mal nutrition. Although vitamins are required by the body, they do not contribute energy or "building material, and are needed only in relatively small amounts. All vitamins must be furnished in adequate amounts or quantities, because no one vitamin can replace any other. Vitamins are essential to growth, development, and maintenance of health.
Chief fault of the American diet of today—unbalanced as to vitamins and minerals. Contains too little of these important essentials. In summarizing the functions of foods we find that vitamins are health and growth promoters.
I. FUNCTIONS OF FOODS:
1. Energy: starch, sugar, fats.
2. Building and repair: legumes, milk, eggs, nuts.
3. Body regulators: Cellulose. Minerals: iodine, calcium, phosphorus.
4. Health and growth promoters: vitamins A, B, C, et cetera.
II. VITAMIN A.
1. Functions: maintains normal amount of visual purple to combat night blind ness ; maintains healthy skin and soft tissues; increases life span.
2. Deficiency results in malnutrition, stunted growth, eye disease, infections of mucous membrane.
3. Food sources: basic seven, green and yellow fruits and vegetables, butter and colored margarine, parsley, egg yolk, milk, citrus fruits, carrots, tomatoes, bananas.
4. Destroyed not by ordinary cooking but by high temperature or long period of cooking. Use very little water. Pressure cooker better.
III. VITAMIN B 1.
1. Functions: prevents beriberi; aids in maintaining nervous system in healthy condition; maintains appetite; maintains good digestion; prevents constipation.
2. Deficiency: stunted growth, loss of appetite, nervousness, constipation.
3. Food sources: whole-grain cereals (particularly outer hull and germ), brewers yeast, legumes—fresh, green, and dried—as beans, peas, soybeans.
4. Not destroyed by ordinary cooking.
IV. VITAMIN B 2—Riboflavin.
1. Functions: liberal intake enhances the .nutritional well-being at all ages. Soluble in water. Promotes growth.
2.. Food sources: milk, eggs, leafy vegetables, apricots, tomatoes, peanuts, soy beans.
3. Lack of it causes deficiency in growth. Lost if water is poured down sink.
4. Soluble.
V. VITAMIN C.
1. Functions: prevents scurvy; essential for normal health of gums and teeth; promotes growth and health.
2. Deficiency causes malnutrition, stunted growth, tender joints, swollen and bleeding gums, decreased resistance to infection. Growing pains often taken for rheumatism.
3. Food sources: raw fruits, especially oranges; raw vegetables, especially cabbage, lettuce, celery, spinach, car rots—tomatoes very good.
4. Loses value in cooking or drying. Retained in presence of an acid, such as tomatoes, apricots.
VI. VITAMIN D.
1. Functions: prevents rickets; essential to normal bone growth and tooth development; prevents tooth decay; controls utilization of calcium and phosphorus.
2. Deficiency causes rickets and poor teeth.3. Food sources limited. Cod-liver oil, egg yolk, greens grown in summer, milk, cream, butter, direct sunlight. Other vitamins, but not considered in this lesson.
VII. DEMONSTRATE; Vitamin soup.
Assign class to make it before next time and report on it.
VITAMIN SOUP
1/2 cup cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
1 cup potatoes
1/2 cup string beans
1 small sweet potato
1 small onion
1 stalk celery with leafs
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup tomatoes
1 tsp. Vegex, soy sauce or any other flavoring salt to taste
Wash vegetables with a brush. Do not peel. Cut them up, cover with cold water, add fat, and cook until ten der. Add tomatoes and salt. Cook 20 minutes longer. Press through a coarse colander. Add Vegex and enough water to make right consistency. Reheat and serve. Cooked natural rice or split peas may be added (1/2 cup).
—MRS. G. W. MILLER, Stirring Passages.
