Periscope: Have you ever heard tell of ‘vegetarianism’?

100 years ago the ‘Cork Examiner’ published a series of opinion pieces by a contributor known as ‘Periscope’ on social and political issues that are still relevant today

Thu, 28 Dec, 2023 - 20:45

Periscope

The advice offered recently on the subject of diet applied more particularly to that during the hot weather, when animal food is even less necessary than at other times.

Scientific investigation has established the fact that animal food is not absolutely necessary for the maintenance of healthy and vigorous life; on the contrary, perfectly healthy life can be, and is, enjoyed by large numbers who never touch flesh meat.

A great many parents err so far as to give animal food to very young children who ought not to have it, and to whom it is the reverse of beneficial.

It is not easy to do altogether without animal food, and it is certainly not wise to cut off all animal food suddenly. Anyone desirous to try a non-meat diet would be well advised to proceed by short stages.

If they have been in the habit of eating meat three times a day, let them first change to eating it twice a day, then to once a day, and then to three times a week, and so on.

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A great many who cannot do without a proportion of meat in their dietary find that three times a week is ample. The term "Vegetarian" is very much misunderstood. I have come across many people whose idea of a vegetarian was "a person who lived on potatoes and cabbage".

'Reformed diet' is a much better term than 'vegetarianism' to express the same thing.

To many the mere mention of "vegetarianism'' seems to suggest the idea of going out on grass like the oxen, whereas it is merely a preference for a dietary composed of substances which will give a great amount of nutriment in a light and pleasant form.

Some people have the queer notion that the quantity of food is of the greatest importance, whereas it is the quality of food that matters most. Food may be measured in the terms of the weight of protein, fat, and carbohydrate they contain, each going to make up the calories requisite in diet beneficial in maintaining the balance in the metabolism.

An average man doing a moderate amount of work will require about 3,000 to 3,500 calories per day. They should be provided from 100grms of protein, 100grms of fat, and 100grms of carbohydrate.

The foods richest in fat are suet, butter, lard, ham, chocolate, margarine, and olive oil. The foods containing a large percentage of protein are herrings, milk, beans, cod, cheese, split peas, coconut, dried haddock, eggs, lentils, nuts, mutton, beef-steak.

Unloading 'Knight of the Realm' at Cork quays in September 1930. Picture: Irish Examiner archive

The foods rich in carbohydrates are flour, semolina, sugar, potatoes, macaroni, bread, white sugar, onions, rice, biscuit, jam, carrots, loaf sugar, oatmeal, prunes, marmalade, oranges, pearl barley, currants, and bananas.

All these things should be in the dietary in proper proportion. The amount, of food required varies according to weight, size, age, sex, and work. The climate and the season of the year have also to be considered.

Temperance in eating is as necessary for health as temperance in drinking.

There are these who stuff themselves not merely to repletion but till actually surfeited, with every imaginable kind of food within reach, and they complain when they suffer from indigestion.

This promiscuous boxing-the-compass usually bears its own punishment; it is a worse offence against healthful good condition in summer than in winter, because of the absolute need of light diet in warm weather.

The people cannot understand the various different kinds of food unless they are instructed, and the educational system of this country — of every country — should embrace a full course of instruction in food values, and the proper method of obtaining them by preparing the food.

In English schools far more attention is paid to these matters now than in former times, and the instruction is sure to bear fruit in time. With proper instruction in food values, a great deal of good food which formerly went to the rubbish heaps will now be saved.

The culture of vegetables in Ireland is not what it ought to be, not even what it used to be, and most of the vegetables grown would compare badly with these grown in other countries.

This does not, of course, apply to the potato, but rather to the other root and green crops. The allotment system if carried on extensively — and there is no reason why it should not be — would ensure an abundance of well-grown vegetables.

Coming back to the main subject, it may be said that the cereal foods are the great mainstay of reformed diet.

Polenta and semolina

I have told you of "polenta" made from fine Indian meal. It is a most sustaining food, upon which the hardest work can be done. Indian meal is quite easily got, but if you would prefer to try it made of semolina you will find it very good.

You will need a quart of milk, or milk and water mixed, six ounces of semolina. Bring the milk to the boil, sprinkle in the semolina, and stir on the fire till it thickens. Let it cook for quarter of an hour.

It should be quite thick. Put it into a greased pan. When it is cold, cut it in fingers. Put these upon a fire-proof dish, pour some butter (melted) over them and keep in the oven till hot through.

If you like cheese with it, put the grated cheese (a cupful) over the semolina before you pour the butter over it. For another method you might mix the cheese with the semolina, which might, when cold, be cut in slices and fried in fat.

Macaroni is one of the most satisfying and nutritious substances it would be possible to get in cereal food; and it is most appetising whether simply boiled well and dressed with tomato sauce, or mixed with white sauce and cheese, and baked in the oven till browned.

Garden vegetables

The garden vegetables are capable of being used in so many different ways that no person need find vegetable diet lacking in tastiness or variety. Vegetable stews, consisting of a variety of vegetables with thick brown sauce made with marmite and tomatoes, are so delicious that anyone could enjoy them. These stews may be eaten with bread and butter. They are far less expensive and far more digestible, and in every way preferable to tough meat.

Then there is a long range of different kinds of suet dumplings and other suet puddings, excellent things for children, and equally good for grown-ups, cheap food easily made, and admirable substitutes for meat.

And the salads — an endless variety to ring the changes upon, in raw and cooked vegetables. The making of the dressing is no great undertaking; it is simply three spoonfuls of oil to one of vinegar, with pepper and salt, beaten up, and poured over the salad.

Of course, 'any old oil' will not do. I once heard of a misguided cook who, in an absent-minded way, dressed the salad with colza oil. It is recorded that her funeral was largely attended.

There is a large amount of food wasted in England through want of knowledge as to the right method of using it; there is a much greater amount of food wasted in Ireland from the same cause.

Knowledge of cooking and domestic economy are things every girl fancies she gets from nature as surely as she gets her features: It is a foolish and mistaken idea.

What is wanted is the help of the education department. Some people affect to treat this matter as a thing of no consequence. That is a mistake, and a very stupid one.

There is nothing of greater importance to us than the food we eat. Upon the nation's food the health of the nation depends; and anyone who has given thought to these matters and observes things closely must see that we are very far from making the most of our food resources.

With abundance of the best food within our reach we are still, through preventable ignorance, a badly-fed nation.