By: John A. Widtsoe
The following are excerpts from the book, The Word of Wisdom, A Modern Interpretation, by John A. Widtsoe. The entire text is a fascinating and detailed analysis of the Word of Wisdom, written in 1937, it is fascinating to see the similarities between the world they faced nutritionally and our own day.
About the Author: Elder Widtsoe was one of the great teachers of this dispensation. His influential Church service covered the first half of the twentieth century. He was a stalwart witness of Christ and the Restoration and a gifted Church leader noted for his keen and inspired mind.
John Andreas Widtsoe, or Dr. Widtsoe, as he was popularly called throughout the Church, began his career as a student between 1889 and 1891 at Brigham Young College until he was invited to attend Harvard College. In 1894, after only three years, he graduated from Harvard, summa cum laude (with highest honors). Between 1894 and 1898 he was professor of chemistry at the Agricultural College of Utah in Logan, now Utah State University. For two years beginning in 1898, he studied chemistry and agriculture in Europe and received his doctorate from the distinguished Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen, Germany. At the Agricultural Experiment Station, his duties encompassed the practical application of academic research to increased efficiency of farming and agriculture throughout the state of Utah.
Between 1905 and 1907 he established the agriculture program at Brigham Young University. Then for the nine years between 1907 and 1916, he was president of Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, Utah. Because of his devotion to the Church and his personal association with many of the early leaders of Brigham Young University he was prominent in the development of that university. Following a remarkable career in Utah higher education, John A. Widtsoe was called to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in which he served for more than thirty years, from 1921 to 1952.
Elder Widtsoe's devotion to the scriptures and the teachings of the Church permeated his home life, his academic training, his professional life, and his Church service.
Embracing the Fullness of the Doctrine:
It is evident that the people of the Church are not observing fully all the factors of health as given in the Word of Wisdom…One can not say that to refrain from smoking and from drinking tea, coffee or alcohol is to keep fully the Word of Wisdom…to make most certain of a joyous life, obedience to the laws of health must begin in the earliest years and continue throughout life… Conformity to the Word of Wisdom brings quick results in improved health of body and in increased spiritual power. It should not therefore be difficult to obey… Bad habits are persistent enemies. Those of the body clamor for attention; yet once overcome they remain silent. Conquest of self may always be accomplished if the will is born of strong enough desire. The training of the will is the beginning of personal power; and such training is always initiated by sincere, continuous desire.
The Word of Wisdom is not another food fad, of which there have been thousands in the world's history. It is a simple, rational dietary system conforming to general human experience and to accurate scientific knowledge; and is an important guide to physical welfare…for as we eat so is the composition of the blood stream, the nature-provided healing agent of the body. [The abuse of food is as dangerous as the abuse of Alcohol, or drugs to the body.] Undoubtedly, the ill effects to be expected from wrong dietetic habits reduce the joy of living.
Challenges to Nutrition in our Modern Age:
Too much of the modern food supply comes from tin cans or packages, for often women as well as men work in factories and offices, and the can opener is coming to be the most used kitchen implement…Americans have come to subsist in large measure upon a diet of soft, highly refined and concentrated foods, a diet which is often predominantly acid-forming, lacking in fiber or residue and poor in mineral salts and vitamins. A typical modern diet of meat, white bread, refined cereals, potatoes and sweets, crowding milk, fruits and vegetables to a minimum, is especially likely to be deficient in calcium (and other minerals), roughage and vitamins; the results are unquestionably bad.
A report on diets in the Proceedings of the Mayo Clinic (Barborka) of August, 1931, states that 'the American diet contains a large proportion of concentrated foods low in vitamins [and] minerals, and high in carbohydrates. Such a diet lacking certain protective foods [such as] milk, eggs and fresh leafy vegetables, conduces to an early advent of degenerative diseases.”… Faulty nutrition is a contributing factor in many of the diseases that plague civilization. The problem of health then becomes a matter of prevention by keeping the bloodstream, the natural health-provoking agent of the body, of the correct composition. All should learn the best food practice and why certain foods are conducive to health or disease. The use of vegetables instead of meat, of natural instead of refined food keeps the blood healthy.
Modern knowledge has given man the power to refine his foods, until some of them may become very much changed from the natural conditions in which they are found. The common use of such refined, and in most cases concentrated foods, has at times, for want of adequate knowledge, led to injurious results. The American nation is fast becoming a people who eat out of packages and cans and drink out of bottles. The principles of the Word of Wisdom point securely to the safe and sane way to health through proper nutrition and the use of natural food products. A well-nourished body is the best defense against an unnatural appetite. A taste for the right food may be cultivated and maintained as easily as a taste for that which is imperfect or injurious.
Reliable scientific knowledge is necessary if one is to be guided safely in this important subject. Well-substantiated discoveries in the field of nutrition are welcomed by Latter-day Saints and should be known by them. It is the duty of everyone to learn the facts concerning human nutrition as known today, to accept confirmed truth and to reject unfounded hypotheses, and to avoid all food fads. As new nutritional truth is discovered, it should be accepted and applied in the daily diet. It is not enough to have knowledge; one must apply and use knowledge if one would be wise.
Essential Food Classifications:
The constituents of foods are classified under the following headings: (1) proteins, (2) carbohydrates, (3) fats, and added to these vitamins, minerals, salts, and water.
Proteins are the body-building foods, essential for growth and repair. They are found in meat, cheese, milk, grains, [whey], and vegetables. White of egg is the purest form of protein. Every day the body must have its full quota of protein foods, for the cells of the body are being constantly destroyed through the activities of life. These must be replaced if health is to continue. The amino acids which make up the natural proteins are composed of the elements hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen.
Carbohydrates include the starches and sugars of fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains. They are the energy or fuel foods which keep up the body temperature, and provide energy for all life processes, and for mental and physical work. The source of the fuel foods is mainly from the plant kingdom. Carbohydrates are composed of the elements hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.
Fats are energy foods like the carbohydrates, but are more concentrated. They are utilized to produce heat and to supply energy for work. Fats, like carbohydrates, are composed of the elements hydrogen, oxygen and carbon but are very different in constitution. A fat is composed of a fatty acid and glycerin. Some of the fatty acids found in natural fats, appear to be indispensable to complete health.
The following are excerpts from the book, The Word of Wisdom, A Modern Interpretation, by John A. Widtsoe. The entire text is a fascinating and detailed analysis of the Word of Wisdom, written in 1937, it is fascinating to see the similarities between the world they faced nutritionally and our own day.
About the Author: Elder Widtsoe was one of the great teachers of this dispensation. His influential Church service covered the first half of the twentieth century. He was a stalwart witness of Christ and the Restoration and a gifted Church leader noted for his keen and inspired mind.
John Andreas Widtsoe, or Dr. Widtsoe, as he was popularly called throughout the Church, began his career as a student between 1889 and 1891 at Brigham Young College until he was invited to attend Harvard College. In 1894, after only three years, he graduated from Harvard, summa cum laude (with highest honors). Between 1894 and 1898 he was professor of chemistry at the Agricultural College of Utah in Logan, now Utah State University. For two years beginning in 1898, he studied chemistry and agriculture in Europe and received his doctorate from the distinguished Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen, Germany. At the Agricultural Experiment Station, his duties encompassed the practical application of academic research to increased efficiency of farming and agriculture throughout the state of Utah.
Between 1905 and 1907 he established the agriculture program at Brigham Young University. Then for the nine years between 1907 and 1916, he was president of Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, Utah. Because of his devotion to the Church and his personal association with many of the early leaders of Brigham Young University he was prominent in the development of that university. Following a remarkable career in Utah higher education, John A. Widtsoe was called to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in which he served for more than thirty years, from 1921 to 1952.
Elder Widtsoe's devotion to the scriptures and the teachings of the Church permeated his home life, his academic training, his professional life, and his Church service.
Embracing the Fullness of the Doctrine:
It is evident that the people of the Church are not observing fully all the factors of health as given in the Word of Wisdom…One can not say that to refrain from smoking and from drinking tea, coffee or alcohol is to keep fully the Word of Wisdom…to make most certain of a joyous life, obedience to the laws of health must begin in the earliest years and continue throughout life… Conformity to the Word of Wisdom brings quick results in improved health of body and in increased spiritual power. It should not therefore be difficult to obey… Bad habits are persistent enemies. Those of the body clamor for attention; yet once overcome they remain silent. Conquest of self may always be accomplished if the will is born of strong enough desire. The training of the will is the beginning of personal power; and such training is always initiated by sincere, continuous desire.
The Word of Wisdom is not another food fad, of which there have been thousands in the world's history. It is a simple, rational dietary system conforming to general human experience and to accurate scientific knowledge; and is an important guide to physical welfare…for as we eat so is the composition of the blood stream, the nature-provided healing agent of the body. [The abuse of food is as dangerous as the abuse of Alcohol, or drugs to the body.] Undoubtedly, the ill effects to be expected from wrong dietetic habits reduce the joy of living.
Challenges to Nutrition in our Modern Age:
Too much of the modern food supply comes from tin cans or packages, for often women as well as men work in factories and offices, and the can opener is coming to be the most used kitchen implement…Americans have come to subsist in large measure upon a diet of soft, highly refined and concentrated foods, a diet which is often predominantly acid-forming, lacking in fiber or residue and poor in mineral salts and vitamins. A typical modern diet of meat, white bread, refined cereals, potatoes and sweets, crowding milk, fruits and vegetables to a minimum, is especially likely to be deficient in calcium (and other minerals), roughage and vitamins; the results are unquestionably bad.
A report on diets in the Proceedings of the Mayo Clinic (Barborka) of August, 1931, states that 'the American diet contains a large proportion of concentrated foods low in vitamins [and] minerals, and high in carbohydrates. Such a diet lacking certain protective foods [such as] milk, eggs and fresh leafy vegetables, conduces to an early advent of degenerative diseases.”… Faulty nutrition is a contributing factor in many of the diseases that plague civilization. The problem of health then becomes a matter of prevention by keeping the bloodstream, the natural health-provoking agent of the body, of the correct composition. All should learn the best food practice and why certain foods are conducive to health or disease. The use of vegetables instead of meat, of natural instead of refined food keeps the blood healthy.
Modern knowledge has given man the power to refine his foods, until some of them may become very much changed from the natural conditions in which they are found. The common use of such refined, and in most cases concentrated foods, has at times, for want of adequate knowledge, led to injurious results. The American nation is fast becoming a people who eat out of packages and cans and drink out of bottles. The principles of the Word of Wisdom point securely to the safe and sane way to health through proper nutrition and the use of natural food products. A well-nourished body is the best defense against an unnatural appetite. A taste for the right food may be cultivated and maintained as easily as a taste for that which is imperfect or injurious.
Reliable scientific knowledge is necessary if one is to be guided safely in this important subject. Well-substantiated discoveries in the field of nutrition are welcomed by Latter-day Saints and should be known by them. It is the duty of everyone to learn the facts concerning human nutrition as known today, to accept confirmed truth and to reject unfounded hypotheses, and to avoid all food fads. As new nutritional truth is discovered, it should be accepted and applied in the daily diet. It is not enough to have knowledge; one must apply and use knowledge if one would be wise.
Essential Food Classifications:
The constituents of foods are classified under the following headings: (1) proteins, (2) carbohydrates, (3) fats, and added to these vitamins, minerals, salts, and water.
Proteins are the body-building foods, essential for growth and repair. They are found in meat, cheese, milk, grains, [whey], and vegetables. White of egg is the purest form of protein. Every day the body must have its full quota of protein foods, for the cells of the body are being constantly destroyed through the activities of life. These must be replaced if health is to continue. The amino acids which make up the natural proteins are composed of the elements hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen.
Carbohydrates include the starches and sugars of fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains. They are the energy or fuel foods which keep up the body temperature, and provide energy for all life processes, and for mental and physical work. The source of the fuel foods is mainly from the plant kingdom. Carbohydrates are composed of the elements hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.
Fats are energy foods like the carbohydrates, but are more concentrated. They are utilized to produce heat and to supply energy for work. Fats, like carbohydrates, are composed of the elements hydrogen, oxygen and carbon but are very different in constitution. A fat is composed of a fatty acid and glycerin. Some of the fatty acids found in natural fats, appear to be indispensable to complete health.
A balanced diet is essential to insure enough minerals in the diet, each adult should have daily, at least 1 pint of milk (children 1 quart), the liberal use of all vegetables in season, especially leafy ones (always some of them raw), "eggs or cheese frequently and meat occasionally but not every day", the frequent use of sea foods, and the use of whole grain breads and cereals, especially for growing children.
Vegetables First:
“Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.” D&C 59:18-19
“All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—
Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof…” D&C 89:10-11
And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—as also the fruit of the vine, that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground." The word "herb" was frequently used a century ago to include plants and vegetables, direct products of the soil. As used in the Word of Wisdom it was undoubtedly meant to include all plants the use of which is good for man. The modifying words "all wholesome" indicate that all edible vegetables and fruits of earth are included in the term. It is evident that vegetables and fruits contain all the necessary food substances, and that they are rich in minerals. They are also the best sources of all vitamins. It is now conceded that vegetables and fruits are of first importance in maintaining full health.
The great Builder of the earth provided well for the physical needs of His children. Countless varieties of edible plants, vegetables, cereals, fruits and nuts are yielded by Mother Nature for man's daily food; some furnish one predominating food element, some another, each filling some need of the human structure, each contributing to man's complete well-being. All vegetables and fruits have drawn upon the "dust of the earth"; have combined the necessary mineral elements so that when eaten by man they may become a part of his body structure, as bricks in a wall, or as promoters of proper metabolism, to secure his health.
Man should partake in plenty of all edible fruits and vegetables. Children should be taught from the weaning period to eat and enjoy all the different kinds of vegetables, so that their bodies may grow in bone strength and nerve tone as well as in size. This practice should be encouraged in adults as well, for all have need of the nutritive value of fruits and vegetables. It is a great pity for an individual, a family or a nation, to confine its taste to two or more vegetables. Meat, potatoes and cabbage, may make a good meal occasionally, but served every day they produce a very one-sided diet. The chief special value of fruit and vegetables in the diet is that they contain the valuable mineral salts and vitamins. For this reason they greatly stimulate appetite and digestion; they produce vigor and resistance to disease.
Fruits are of further value because of their appetizing quality. Their varied color, aroma and flavor make them most stimulating to the senses of sight and smell as well as taste. As is well known, food which appeals to the senses becomes more appetizing and thus actually aids digestion. Most fruits should be eaten raw, fully ripe, and "in the season thereof", Fruits and vegetables should be eaten in liberal amounts by young and old, and with grain products should form the bulk of the human dietary.
Some one may object and say: "Well, our forefathers did not have all these fancy varieties of food, yet they fared pretty well." Did they? Could they have fared better? It has been found that people to whom food has been plentiful with fresh food available have lived long and well. The lack of fresh foods has led to the ravages of disease throughout history, for example those traveling at sea, or in overpopulated lands—have suffered the ravages of incomplete nutrition, with many resulting diseases. A few generations ago mariners discovered that the eating of "fresh" foods, especially lemons, prevented the dread disease scurvy, though they did not know why. More recently, as men found that foods when refined could be stored and transported over long distances without spoiling, certain other diseases have developed. Then, scientists began to investigate the subject thoroughly so that these observations might be understood. It was found that if man tries to live only on refined foods, commercially prepared, he soon becomes subject to disease and death. If he adds to his diet natural foods, as they come from Mother Earth, he may live long and be strong.
Most starchy foods taste better and are more easily digested when cooked, but the cooking should be done in such a way that the mineral and other nutritive elements are not destroyed or thrown away. Much of the mineral content of fruits and some vegetables is found near the skin; for that reason, if possible, the skin should be eaten. Especially is this true of the potato which should never be peeled but either baked and the skins eaten, or boiled with the skins on, then mashed or riced if desired, and the cooking water used in soups. Familiar to every one are the sloppy, tasteless, colorless vegetables of the average cook which often look to be a "tangle of brown weeds and they will taste like vegetable matter spread on paper and horsehair." Alas, this description fits the cooking of vegetables in many homes and hotels. It is not to be wondered at that most children and many adults dislike vegetables, for they are often so poorly cooked that their natural flavor is changed beyond recognition.
A discussion of vegetables and fruits as foods would not be complete without a comment on vegetarianism. Modern research has shown as already indicated that all of the necessary food constituents are found in plants. From that point of view, vegetarianism should be practicable. However, studies of the protein or flesh-forming constituents of plant and animal foods, point to the conclusion that it may be desirable to include some animal protein—milk, eggs, meat—in the human dietary. This conforms to the dictum in the Word of Wisdom that meat may be used sparingly.
Grains:
“All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life” D&C 89:14
Grains, or cereals, were ordained to be "the staff of life" for human and animal consumption, and so they have been almost from the beginning of time. This consumption has increased greatly from earlier ages owing to the increased cultivation of the earth, made possible by improved methods of agriculture. The popularity of grains as food is augmented by their excellent keeping qualities, the ease with which they may be handled, and their relatively low cost. They furnish an economical source of energy, and it is difficult to plan a satisfactory diet without them, especially where the cost of food must be considered. Grains contain the six necessary food elements already enumerated, though not in the same proportions. They are characterized by a high carbohydrate (starch) and rather low protein content. That is, they are largely carbohydrate or energy foods. Human experience has shown that any or all of these grains are wholesome human foods.
The whole of the wheat grain should be used, for the minerals and vitamins are found in the germ and the outer covering of the kernel. The grain may be ground as fine as desirable or eaten whole as preferred… The grains are rich in carbohydrates—that is, in sugars and starches. When many molecular sugar groups are linked together, a starch is formed. Similarly, when a starch is subjected to a hydrolizing, disorganizing process, as in digestion, sugars are formed. When starch is eaten, its first digestive change is its reduction to sugar. Therefore, sugars and starches are practically identical in their effects upon the body. This explains why it is a dietetic duplication to combine sugar and starchy foods as is often done with sugar on cereals or in the rich pastries and desserts of the modern dietary. As a rule, starches are easily and fully digested when properly cooked and taken alone. Starches are also much harder to digest when fried, for fat covers the starch granules and keeps them from being properly and promptly reached by the digestive juices (as in doughnuts, fried foods, etc.). They are also less digestible when blended with fat as in pastry. Such a combination tends to ferment in the stomach and intestines, causing delay in digestion.
It has already been shown that wheat is valuable as a food because it furnishes some protein (body building) and much starch or carbohydrate (fuel producing); also because it is a source of several necessary mineral elements, including calcium, iron and phosphorus; and especially because it contains vitamins B and E, indispensable to human health and happiness. While wheat may not be a complete food for man, it approaches that definition so nearly as to be in reality a "staff of life."
Vegetables First:
“Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.” D&C 59:18-19
“All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—
Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof…” D&C 89:10-11
And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—as also the fruit of the vine, that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground." The word "herb" was frequently used a century ago to include plants and vegetables, direct products of the soil. As used in the Word of Wisdom it was undoubtedly meant to include all plants the use of which is good for man. The modifying words "all wholesome" indicate that all edible vegetables and fruits of earth are included in the term. It is evident that vegetables and fruits contain all the necessary food substances, and that they are rich in minerals. They are also the best sources of all vitamins. It is now conceded that vegetables and fruits are of first importance in maintaining full health.
The great Builder of the earth provided well for the physical needs of His children. Countless varieties of edible plants, vegetables, cereals, fruits and nuts are yielded by Mother Nature for man's daily food; some furnish one predominating food element, some another, each filling some need of the human structure, each contributing to man's complete well-being. All vegetables and fruits have drawn upon the "dust of the earth"; have combined the necessary mineral elements so that when eaten by man they may become a part of his body structure, as bricks in a wall, or as promoters of proper metabolism, to secure his health.
Man should partake in plenty of all edible fruits and vegetables. Children should be taught from the weaning period to eat and enjoy all the different kinds of vegetables, so that their bodies may grow in bone strength and nerve tone as well as in size. This practice should be encouraged in adults as well, for all have need of the nutritive value of fruits and vegetables. It is a great pity for an individual, a family or a nation, to confine its taste to two or more vegetables. Meat, potatoes and cabbage, may make a good meal occasionally, but served every day they produce a very one-sided diet. The chief special value of fruit and vegetables in the diet is that they contain the valuable mineral salts and vitamins. For this reason they greatly stimulate appetite and digestion; they produce vigor and resistance to disease.
Fruits are of further value because of their appetizing quality. Their varied color, aroma and flavor make them most stimulating to the senses of sight and smell as well as taste. As is well known, food which appeals to the senses becomes more appetizing and thus actually aids digestion. Most fruits should be eaten raw, fully ripe, and "in the season thereof", Fruits and vegetables should be eaten in liberal amounts by young and old, and with grain products should form the bulk of the human dietary.
Some one may object and say: "Well, our forefathers did not have all these fancy varieties of food, yet they fared pretty well." Did they? Could they have fared better? It has been found that people to whom food has been plentiful with fresh food available have lived long and well. The lack of fresh foods has led to the ravages of disease throughout history, for example those traveling at sea, or in overpopulated lands—have suffered the ravages of incomplete nutrition, with many resulting diseases. A few generations ago mariners discovered that the eating of "fresh" foods, especially lemons, prevented the dread disease scurvy, though they did not know why. More recently, as men found that foods when refined could be stored and transported over long distances without spoiling, certain other diseases have developed. Then, scientists began to investigate the subject thoroughly so that these observations might be understood. It was found that if man tries to live only on refined foods, commercially prepared, he soon becomes subject to disease and death. If he adds to his diet natural foods, as they come from Mother Earth, he may live long and be strong.
Most starchy foods taste better and are more easily digested when cooked, but the cooking should be done in such a way that the mineral and other nutritive elements are not destroyed or thrown away. Much of the mineral content of fruits and some vegetables is found near the skin; for that reason, if possible, the skin should be eaten. Especially is this true of the potato which should never be peeled but either baked and the skins eaten, or boiled with the skins on, then mashed or riced if desired, and the cooking water used in soups. Familiar to every one are the sloppy, tasteless, colorless vegetables of the average cook which often look to be a "tangle of brown weeds and they will taste like vegetable matter spread on paper and horsehair." Alas, this description fits the cooking of vegetables in many homes and hotels. It is not to be wondered at that most children and many adults dislike vegetables, for they are often so poorly cooked that their natural flavor is changed beyond recognition.
A discussion of vegetables and fruits as foods would not be complete without a comment on vegetarianism. Modern research has shown as already indicated that all of the necessary food constituents are found in plants. From that point of view, vegetarianism should be practicable. However, studies of the protein or flesh-forming constituents of plant and animal foods, point to the conclusion that it may be desirable to include some animal protein—milk, eggs, meat—in the human dietary. This conforms to the dictum in the Word of Wisdom that meat may be used sparingly.
Grains:
“All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life” D&C 89:14
Grains, or cereals, were ordained to be "the staff of life" for human and animal consumption, and so they have been almost from the beginning of time. This consumption has increased greatly from earlier ages owing to the increased cultivation of the earth, made possible by improved methods of agriculture. The popularity of grains as food is augmented by their excellent keeping qualities, the ease with which they may be handled, and their relatively low cost. They furnish an economical source of energy, and it is difficult to plan a satisfactory diet without them, especially where the cost of food must be considered. Grains contain the six necessary food elements already enumerated, though not in the same proportions. They are characterized by a high carbohydrate (starch) and rather low protein content. That is, they are largely carbohydrate or energy foods. Human experience has shown that any or all of these grains are wholesome human foods.
The whole of the wheat grain should be used, for the minerals and vitamins are found in the germ and the outer covering of the kernel. The grain may be ground as fine as desirable or eaten whole as preferred… The grains are rich in carbohydrates—that is, in sugars and starches. When many molecular sugar groups are linked together, a starch is formed. Similarly, when a starch is subjected to a hydrolizing, disorganizing process, as in digestion, sugars are formed. When starch is eaten, its first digestive change is its reduction to sugar. Therefore, sugars and starches are practically identical in their effects upon the body. This explains why it is a dietetic duplication to combine sugar and starchy foods as is often done with sugar on cereals or in the rich pastries and desserts of the modern dietary. As a rule, starches are easily and fully digested when properly cooked and taken alone. Starches are also much harder to digest when fried, for fat covers the starch granules and keeps them from being properly and promptly reached by the digestive juices (as in doughnuts, fried foods, etc.). They are also less digestible when blended with fat as in pastry. Such a combination tends to ferment in the stomach and intestines, causing delay in digestion.
It has already been shown that wheat is valuable as a food because it furnishes some protein (body building) and much starch or carbohydrate (fuel producing); also because it is a source of several necessary mineral elements, including calcium, iron and phosphorus; and especially because it contains vitamins B and E, indispensable to human health and happiness. While wheat may not be a complete food for man, it approaches that definition so nearly as to be in reality a "staff of life."
The Word of Wisdom, after declaring that "all grain is good for man," adds "nevertheless, wheat for man." This implies clearly that wheat is to be preferred over other grains in the dietary of man; that it more nearly supplies the needs of the human body than other grains. The valuable vitamins lost in milling for white flour, are needed by the body. Vitamin B, abundant in the germ and outer layers of the wheat kernel, is seldom sufficiently supplied in ordinary diets to meet the full demands of the body. Whole wheat bread helps supply this deficiency. The wheat kernel contains five times or more mineral substances than does refined wheat flour. These mineral substances are of utmost importance in maintaining a proper composition of the blood. Refined white flour with a high gluten content makes a loaf that is palatable, light and spongy in texture, and because of its white color is more attractive to the eye. It is easily digested—with little residue—in fact, so completely digested that its very perfection may be its great drawback, for bulk is necessary in good digestion. The average person is apt to take the bulk of his food from devitalized products, such as white bread, crackers, macaroni, breakfast cereals, pastry and other package food, convenient to purchase and easy to cook. By such a diet the natural craving for food is satisfied, for the time being, and there is little appetite left for the salads, vegetables, and fruits which should form the bulk of the food.
Simple Sugars:
Sugar is a carbohydrate food which has come into general use since the Word of Wisdom was given to the world. The revelation deals only with grains, fruits, vegetables—nature's products—and with meat to be used sparingly in cold or famine, but it does not follow that foods not specifically mentioned in the Word of Wisdom are prohibited. Milk and many other good foods are not mentioned, yet should be used intelligently, with wisdom and prudence, which includes knowledge. The use of sugar as food is a recent development. Before 1600 A.D. it was used in Europe as a medicine or a curiosity and was handled only in the apothecary (or drug) shops and sold for $1.50 or more a pound. Later it was used only as a flavoring and in minute quantities. Its use as a staple article of diet has gradually increased with the ease and extent of its manufacture. Today the annual candy bill alone is well over a billion dollars. The people of the United States have become known as the "sugar gluttons" of the world.
The body needs sugar; it is a physiological necessity, for it is found as glucose in the blood and provides fuel for heat and muscular energy. However, there is much difference, in sugar concentration, between the sweet foods that occur in nature and those manufactured from cane. In the manufacture of sugar the mineral content of the cane or beet passes into the molasses, which in the case of beets is never used for human food. There are many disadvantages resulting from the excessive use of sugar as food. It is an artificially prepared product, is totally lacking in proteins, mineral salts and vitamins. It is distinctly a habit-forming food; those who have never used it do not like it, but a taste for it is easily acquired, after which one is tempted to overeat on sweet foods which leads to an unbalanced diet. This habit-forming nature has contributed greatly to the consumption of sugar. Sugar, being readily soluble, is quickly absorbed from the digestive tract, and if eaten too freely at one time tends to enter the blood faster than the liver and other tissues can abstract it and causes a high tide of sugar in the blood. It is not improbable that when this high tide of sugar occurs the pancreas puts out more insulin than is necessary, thus putting a strain on the insulin-forming structures. If this is true, eating excessively of sugar over a considerable period may tend to bring on diabetes.
Nature did not intend that we should eat freely of the simple sugars and did not make them available. She gave us much starch instead. This was a wise provision, since starches eaten with an ordinary meal require several hours for complete digestion and absorption, hence the resulting glucose enters the blood slowly and does not cause the high tide of blood sugar." When one overeats on starches, which become sugar in digestion, and eats sweets as well, the pancreas becomes overworked and loses its power to dispose of the sugar which then accumulates in the blood and is excreted in the urine. The result is the disease diabetes which follows an insufficient supply of insulin. Many food experts claim that the excessive use of carbohydrates, sugars and starch in the diet may be the direct cause of diabetes, and all agree that the increased use of these foods certainly does greatly aggravate the disease. All foods rich in sugar, such as candies, syrups, jams, jellies, "soda fountain treats," and rich, sweet desserts should be eaten in great moderation and never between meals nor on an empty stomach. This is especially true for children who should receive much of their sugar supply from sweet fruits, honey, and molasses in moderation.
Proteins:
Protein is the name given to the food constituents which are used in the body to produce growth in the young, and to repair or renew the tissues torn down by the stress of life at all ages. It is well established that the proteins are made up of certain chemical compounds, known as amino acids, of which there are many… amino acids are indispensable to body growth. Meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese are foods rich in protein—the white of egg and lean meat being nearly pure protein. The proteins in these animal foods are easily and completely (97%) digested, and in most cases are valuable as healthful articles of diet. Milk, cheese and eggs are most valuable and should form the bulk of the protein requirement. To many persons these have the added advantage that they do not require the taking of life. Milk, an important source of protein, contains other valuable food substances. It is a well balanced food, with about 87% of water, the remainder being 3.3% of protein, 4.0% of fat, 5.0% of milk sugar and 0.7% of mineral matters including calcium and phosphorus. Milk also contains vitamins A, D, G, and some B, especially if cows are fed on green pasture. Cheese is the protein separated from milk, often associated with some mineral and fat. Whey, which contains the milk sugar and most of the minerals of the milk, is an excellent food. It is often evaporated to form a palatable cheese. Eggs contain about 74.0% of water. The 26% of dry matter is made up of protein and fat in about equal proportions. The fat, however, as also the vitamins A, B, D, E, and G, and the mineral salts occur in the yolk. The white of egg is rich in vitamin G.
Protein is found in all plant tissues in varying amounts… many that grains, fruits and vegetables are chiefly valuable as foods for other than their protein content, but a properly selected low meat or wholly vegetarian diet, if supplemented with milk, cheese and eggs, will support life completely.
“Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly.” D&C 89:12
“For he neither believed in killing life nor in eating meat. He is a little philosopher and argues in this way: "How can you expect the millennium to come, and enmity to cease between man and beast, if man, who stands at the head of the animal creation, does not cease that enmity first?" Improvement Era, 1901
The effects of excessive meat eating show that meats should be eaten in great moderation… excessive meat eating may place an undue strain upon these delicate organs. It is well substantiated that kidney diseases increase in a community with an increase of meat in the diet above that desirable for good health. The undigested portion of food is passed through the intestines. If too much meat is eaten this undigested portion may decompose in the bowels, and this intestinal putrefaction is usually attended with discomfort and ill health. Indeed, intestinal poisoning from excessive meat eating is not uncommon. Within recent months it has been shown experimentally that rats fed a high protein diet are likely to become subject to nephritis. Moreover, the heavy meat eater does not as a rule eat sufficient amounts of the other necessary foods. Milk and its products are seldom used and only a small supply of vegetables.
Naturally, children need more easily digested and assimilated protein food than adults, since they have constant need to form new body substances. This is best met by the use of milk, eggs, and cheese. It must be emphasized again that while there must be some protein in the food every day, it may be other than meat protein. It is unwise to eat meat and economize in milk, cheese and eggs.
Fats:
The value in the diet of the fats of the plant and animal kingdom must not be overlooked. Edible fats and oils are valuable energy foods, and perform other distinct functions in nutrition. Recent researches show that one or more of the fatty acids which are normal constituents of natural fats, are actually indispensable in complete nutrition. Fats should be eaten in a definite ratio with carbohydrate foods. Without such balance the fat is incompletely burned. There are other disadvantages in a too free use of fat in the diet. Excessive use of fats leads to indigestion and liver trouble. A warning must also be given regarding the use of fried foods. If properly cooked, fried foods may be eaten in moderation. However, they should be left out of the diet of children altogether.
Other Important Ingredients for Human Health:
Simple Sugars:
Sugar is a carbohydrate food which has come into general use since the Word of Wisdom was given to the world. The revelation deals only with grains, fruits, vegetables—nature's products—and with meat to be used sparingly in cold or famine, but it does not follow that foods not specifically mentioned in the Word of Wisdom are prohibited. Milk and many other good foods are not mentioned, yet should be used intelligently, with wisdom and prudence, which includes knowledge. The use of sugar as food is a recent development. Before 1600 A.D. it was used in Europe as a medicine or a curiosity and was handled only in the apothecary (or drug) shops and sold for $1.50 or more a pound. Later it was used only as a flavoring and in minute quantities. Its use as a staple article of diet has gradually increased with the ease and extent of its manufacture. Today the annual candy bill alone is well over a billion dollars. The people of the United States have become known as the "sugar gluttons" of the world.
The body needs sugar; it is a physiological necessity, for it is found as glucose in the blood and provides fuel for heat and muscular energy. However, there is much difference, in sugar concentration, between the sweet foods that occur in nature and those manufactured from cane. In the manufacture of sugar the mineral content of the cane or beet passes into the molasses, which in the case of beets is never used for human food. There are many disadvantages resulting from the excessive use of sugar as food. It is an artificially prepared product, is totally lacking in proteins, mineral salts and vitamins. It is distinctly a habit-forming food; those who have never used it do not like it, but a taste for it is easily acquired, after which one is tempted to overeat on sweet foods which leads to an unbalanced diet. This habit-forming nature has contributed greatly to the consumption of sugar. Sugar, being readily soluble, is quickly absorbed from the digestive tract, and if eaten too freely at one time tends to enter the blood faster than the liver and other tissues can abstract it and causes a high tide of sugar in the blood. It is not improbable that when this high tide of sugar occurs the pancreas puts out more insulin than is necessary, thus putting a strain on the insulin-forming structures. If this is true, eating excessively of sugar over a considerable period may tend to bring on diabetes.
Nature did not intend that we should eat freely of the simple sugars and did not make them available. She gave us much starch instead. This was a wise provision, since starches eaten with an ordinary meal require several hours for complete digestion and absorption, hence the resulting glucose enters the blood slowly and does not cause the high tide of blood sugar." When one overeats on starches, which become sugar in digestion, and eats sweets as well, the pancreas becomes overworked and loses its power to dispose of the sugar which then accumulates in the blood and is excreted in the urine. The result is the disease diabetes which follows an insufficient supply of insulin. Many food experts claim that the excessive use of carbohydrates, sugars and starch in the diet may be the direct cause of diabetes, and all agree that the increased use of these foods certainly does greatly aggravate the disease. All foods rich in sugar, such as candies, syrups, jams, jellies, "soda fountain treats," and rich, sweet desserts should be eaten in great moderation and never between meals nor on an empty stomach. This is especially true for children who should receive much of their sugar supply from sweet fruits, honey, and molasses in moderation.
Proteins:
Protein is the name given to the food constituents which are used in the body to produce growth in the young, and to repair or renew the tissues torn down by the stress of life at all ages. It is well established that the proteins are made up of certain chemical compounds, known as amino acids, of which there are many… amino acids are indispensable to body growth. Meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese are foods rich in protein—the white of egg and lean meat being nearly pure protein. The proteins in these animal foods are easily and completely (97%) digested, and in most cases are valuable as healthful articles of diet. Milk, cheese and eggs are most valuable and should form the bulk of the protein requirement. To many persons these have the added advantage that they do not require the taking of life. Milk, an important source of protein, contains other valuable food substances. It is a well balanced food, with about 87% of water, the remainder being 3.3% of protein, 4.0% of fat, 5.0% of milk sugar and 0.7% of mineral matters including calcium and phosphorus. Milk also contains vitamins A, D, G, and some B, especially if cows are fed on green pasture. Cheese is the protein separated from milk, often associated with some mineral and fat. Whey, which contains the milk sugar and most of the minerals of the milk, is an excellent food. It is often evaporated to form a palatable cheese. Eggs contain about 74.0% of water. The 26% of dry matter is made up of protein and fat in about equal proportions. The fat, however, as also the vitamins A, B, D, E, and G, and the mineral salts occur in the yolk. The white of egg is rich in vitamin G.
Protein is found in all plant tissues in varying amounts… many that grains, fruits and vegetables are chiefly valuable as foods for other than their protein content, but a properly selected low meat or wholly vegetarian diet, if supplemented with milk, cheese and eggs, will support life completely.
“Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly.” D&C 89:12
“For he neither believed in killing life nor in eating meat. He is a little philosopher and argues in this way: "How can you expect the millennium to come, and enmity to cease between man and beast, if man, who stands at the head of the animal creation, does not cease that enmity first?" Improvement Era, 1901
The effects of excessive meat eating show that meats should be eaten in great moderation… excessive meat eating may place an undue strain upon these delicate organs. It is well substantiated that kidney diseases increase in a community with an increase of meat in the diet above that desirable for good health. The undigested portion of food is passed through the intestines. If too much meat is eaten this undigested portion may decompose in the bowels, and this intestinal putrefaction is usually attended with discomfort and ill health. Indeed, intestinal poisoning from excessive meat eating is not uncommon. Within recent months it has been shown experimentally that rats fed a high protein diet are likely to become subject to nephritis. Moreover, the heavy meat eater does not as a rule eat sufficient amounts of the other necessary foods. Milk and its products are seldom used and only a small supply of vegetables.
Naturally, children need more easily digested and assimilated protein food than adults, since they have constant need to form new body substances. This is best met by the use of milk, eggs, and cheese. It must be emphasized again that while there must be some protein in the food every day, it may be other than meat protein. It is unwise to eat meat and economize in milk, cheese and eggs.
Fats:
The value in the diet of the fats of the plant and animal kingdom must not be overlooked. Edible fats and oils are valuable energy foods, and perform other distinct functions in nutrition. Recent researches show that one or more of the fatty acids which are normal constituents of natural fats, are actually indispensable in complete nutrition. Fats should be eaten in a definite ratio with carbohydrate foods. Without such balance the fat is incompletely burned. There are other disadvantages in a too free use of fat in the diet. Excessive use of fats leads to indigestion and liver trouble. A warning must also be given regarding the use of fried foods. If properly cooked, fried foods may be eaten in moderation. However, they should be left out of the diet of children altogether.
Other Important Ingredients for Human Health:
- Pure, fresh water should be drunk freely, at arising and between meals, during the day.
- Milk, a food rather than a drink, should be used in the complete dietary.
- Health requires regular and steady physical labor and intellectual effort. Physical exercise in the open air is always desirable. Daily reading of good literature and all forms of proper recreation help promote good health.
In Conclusion:
There are few really healthy people in the world. Too many live with only half their possible energies at their command. There is too much disease, too many colds and hay fevers. Conformity to the Word of Wisdom will help solve many of the most perplexing problems of our age. Disease will largely be overcome. Life will be lengthened and health will rule while life endures. A good wholesome diet composed of all nature's food "in season" should be the rule—and one should learn to enjoy all natural foods—excluding none; for each food possesses some special element or substance needed by the body mechanism. In this practice, parents must set the right example to children who are unconscious imitators.
There are few really healthy people in the world. Too many live with only half their possible energies at their command. There is too much disease, too many colds and hay fevers. Conformity to the Word of Wisdom will help solve many of the most perplexing problems of our age. Disease will largely be overcome. Life will be lengthened and health will rule while life endures. A good wholesome diet composed of all nature's food "in season" should be the rule—and one should learn to enjoy all natural foods—excluding none; for each food possesses some special element or substance needed by the body mechanism. In this practice, parents must set the right example to children who are unconscious imitators.
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