Part 7

DIETS.

In the diet tables following, the vegetables listed, excepting lettuce, cucumbers, celery, and raw tomatoes, are boiled. In the very low carbohydrate diets they are thrice boiled. When possible to obtain the figures, the analyses for boiled vegetables have been used. It has been estimated that four-tenths of the carbohydrate will go into solution when such vegetables as carrots and cabbage are cut into small pieces, and thoroughly boiled, with changes of water. It must be remembered that bacon loses about half its fat content when moderately cooked.

A number of more or less palatable breads may be made for diabetics, but the majority of the so-called "gluten" and "diabetic flours" are gross frauds, often containing as much as fifty or sixty per cent. carbohydrate. Gluten flour is made by washing away the starch from wheat flour, leaving a residue which is rich in the vegetable protein gluten, so it must be remembered that if it is desired to greatly restrict the protein intake, any gluten flour, even if it contains only a small percentage of carbohydrate, must be used with caution. The report of 1913, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Part I, Section 1, "Diabetic Foods", gives a most valuable compilation of analyses of food products for diabetics. We have found some use for soya meal, casoid flour and Lyster's flour, "akoll" biscuits, and "proto-puffs," but generally the high protein content of all of these foods interferes with giving any large quantity of them to a severe diabetic over a long period of time. The flours mentioned below we know to be reliable.

Some recipes which we have found useful are given below. The use of bran is meant to dilute the protein, increase the bulk, and incidentally to aid in preventing or correcting constipation.

BRAN AND LYSTER FLOUR MUFFINS.

2 level tablespoons lard 2 eggs 4 tablespoons heavy cream, 40% fat 2 cups washed bran 1 package Lyster flour 1/2 cup water or less

Tie dry bran in cheesecloth and soak 1 hour. Wash, by squeezing water through and through, change water several times. Wring dry.

Separate eggs and beat thoroughly. Add to the egg yolks the melted lard, cream and 2 beaten egg whites. Add the Lyster flour, washed bran and water.

Make eighteen muffins.

Total food value: Protein 99 grams, fat 68 grams, carbohydrate 2 grams, calories 1049.

One muffin = protein 5 grams, fat 4 grams, carbohydrate, trace, calories 58.

Lyster's Diabetic Flour prepared by Lyster Brothers, Andover, Mass.

BRAN CAKES.

2 cups wheat bran 2 tablespoons melted butter 2 whole eggs 1 egg white 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 grain saccharine

Tie bran in a piece of cheesecloth and soak for one hour. Wash by squeezing water through and through. Change water several times. Wring dry. Dissolve saccharine in one-half teaspoon water. Beat the whole eggs. Mix the bran, beaten eggs, melted butter, and saccharine together. Whip the remaining egg white and fold in at the last. Form into small cakes, using a knife and a tablespoon. Bake on a greased baking sheet until golden brown.

This mixture will make about 25 small cakes. One cake represents 16 calories. A sample cake made by this recipe was analyzed and found to contain neither starch nor sugar.

SOYA MEAL AND BRAN MUFFINS.

1 ounce (30 grams) soya meal 1 level tablespoon (15 grams) butter 1 ounce (30 c.c.) 40% cream 1 cup of washed bran (see method given elsewhere) 1 egg white 1 whole egg may be substituted for 1 egg white 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Mix soya meal, salt and baking powder. Add to the washed bran. Add melted butter and cream. Beat egg white and fold into mixture. Add enough water to make a very thick drop batter. Bake in six well-greased muffin tins until golden brown--from fifteen to twenty-five minutes.

Total food value:

Protein, 11 grams, Fat, 27 grams. Carbohydrate, 2 grams. Calories, 304. One muffin = protein, 2 grams; fat, 4.5 grams. Carbohydrate, trace. Calories, 50.

Soya Bean Meal, Theodore Metcalf Co., Boston, Mass.

CASOID FLOUR AND BRAN MUFFINS.

1 ounce (30 grams) Casoid flour 1 level tablespoon (15 grams) butter 1 ounce (30 c.c.) 40% cream 1 egg white 1 whole egg may be substituted for 1 egg white 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup washed bran

Method as in previous rule. Bake in six muffin tins.

Total food value:

Protein, 18 grams. Fat, 24 grams. Carbohydrate, 1 gram. Calories, 300. One muffin = Protein, 3 grams. Fat, 4 grams. Carbohydrate + Calories, 50.

Casoid Diabetic Flour. Thos. Leeming & Co., Importers, New York City.