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The purpose of this site is to try and get the world to start dealing with the interaction between culture and success in a mature and intelligent manner. Poll: Do you believe culture influences success? Yes 69.01% No 19.5% Uncertain 11.4% - Newest Articles - Per capita income figures for the countries and regions of the world. While rarely read this is Gandhi's most important written work. The traditional explanation for the noticeable differences in income across cultures was to say that they differed in their level of civilization. - Categories - - All Articles - Per capita income figures for the countries and regions of the world. While rarely read this is Gandhi's most important written work. The traditional explanation for the noticeable differences in income across cultures was to say that they differed in their level of civilization. This 1920 work by Roger Babson is a classic with in its genre. It promotes the traditional, pre-1960s explanation for the connection between success and culture. Current events in Zimbabwe are giving us an unprecedented opportunity to measure and judge the effect of white settlement and colonization in Africa. Average US Incomes by Race, Ethnicity and Religion. Max Weber's claim that Protestantism is more conducive to success than Catholicism and that Calvinism is in particular more successful is widely repeated and rarely examined. We need to recognize that culture is the personality of a group or race and we must see culture and having seen it, make it a work of art. The moral justification for welfare is supposed to be that we are temporarily helping out our fellow man through a rough stretch of road or helping the disabled permanently. If it is to become a system for continually transferring wealth from one group to another the people behind this change owe us an explanation. The great taboo of our age is not speaking about race, but speaking about culture. Bourgeoisie is more than just a term of abuse used by the Left, it refers to a real people who led real lives. Selections from the Federal Outlook Selections from a 1960's Rhodesian newspaper. How Africa Underdeveloped Africa Africa is the poorest place in the world. Why? Will Famine Come to Zimbabwe? The end of commercial farming in Zimbabwe could plunge the country into famine. The Tragedy of the Zimbabwe Commons Communally owned property always has and always will suffer from the 'tragedy of the commons' problem. Band Aid Africa recieves $15 billion a year in aid. Is it helping? |
By E. BAKER JONES, MB., Ch.B., D.T.M. & H., D.P.Il., Assistant Health Officer, SR. Medical Services.
THE PURPOSES OF FOOD
purposes:
Food is required by the human body for the following
(1) To balance the body's output of energy during rest and work;
(2) for bodily growth;
(3) to replace the loss of tissue resulting from normal and abnormal metabolism;
(4) to maintain health.
Unless the food consumed by any individual fulfills all these purposes, the result is malnutrition of greater or lesser degree, according to the particular defect.
The Commonest Defect.The bulk of the world's population is unable to obtain a satisfactory diet on account of its cost. The cheapest foods are those composed mainly of carbohydrate, that is to say, starches and sugars. Examples are cereals, tubers, sugar, and various fruits. Thus the staple diet of the poor man is wheat bread in England, potatoes in Ireland, rye bread in Northern and Central Europe, rice in the East, millet in Central Africa, maize in Southern Africa, starchy tubers, fruits and molasses in the West Indies. These supposed traditional diets have really been dictated by circumstance rather than taste. This is clear from the fact that the richer members of communities subsist on diets of which only a fraction is composed of the staple carbohydrate food consumed by their humble brethren. Thus the poorer members of the European community in Salisbury consume an average of one pound of bread a day as compared with the six ounces consumed by each citizen of better means. Carbohydrate has only one function in dietetics: it provides energy and therefore satisfies hunger. It takes no part in growth, replacement of lost tissue or the maintenance of health, so its proportion in any diet should be limited if the object is to get the maximum productive power from that complex machine, the human body.
Balanced Diet.Having noted the commonest defect in diet and its result, let us now consider the remedy. Carbohydrate supplies only energy. To fulfill the remaining three purposes of food, the diet must contain sufficient protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, indigestible fibre and water in such a form that these can be utilised by the human body. Wood contains protein, minerals, fibre and water, and is appreciated as a food by a termite, but not by man. The analysis of any food does not therefore supply all the criteria necessary to base an opinion on it.
Protein is necessary for growth, replacement of lost tissue and maintenance of health. In addition, it supplies energy. Protein is present in greatest concentration in meat, milk, cheese, eggs, fish and legumes, although that in food from animal sources is the most valuable and is styled "firstclass protein." Protein is present in less concentration in many cereals, tubers and fruits.
Fat is the most concentrated energyproducing part of the diet. One part by weight of fat is capable of producing two and a quarter times the energy of the same weight of either protein or carbohydrate. Fat is also the main source of Vitamins A and D In the diet, which are necessary for growth and maintenance of health. Fat is present in all foods from animal sources, in many fruits and vegetables, notably ground nuts and avocado, and in cereals, particularly maize and oats.
Minerals such as common salt, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sulphur, iodine, and copper and many others are necessary for growth, to replace waste and to maintain health. They have no energy value. They are present in greatest concentration in foods
from animal sources, the germ and brand of certain cereals, and in most vegetables and fruits. Common salt must be added to any Met to obtain the necessary concentration. More is necessary in hot weather than in cold.
Vitamins have the same general functions in food as minerals. Vitamins A and D have already been dealt with under fats, but Vitamin D can also be manufactured by the human body by exImmure to sunlight. Vitamin Bi is present in the germ and husk (if' most cereals, in yolk of egg, liver, kidney, yeast and in many vegetables and fruits. Vitamin B2 is present in yeast, most foods from animal sources and, in lesser concentration, in vegetables, fruits and cereals. Vitamin C is present in appreciable concentration in most fresh vegetables and fruits. The loss of minerals and vitamins from cooking is due mainly to the waste of the water used for cooking, not to the temperature of cooking. Even the most unstable Vitamin C is only reduced by about 50 per cent, by ordinary cooking temperature. From this, it is obvious that the use of soups and stews has considerable advantages.
Indigestible fibre or roughage is present in all vegetables and fruits and the outer part of cereals. A certaIn amount is necessary to maintain health, but inn much causes Indigestion and malnutrition. Very little fibre is present In meat and fish and consequently races which subsist on an entirely carnivorous diet are reputed tobe prone to constipation.
The Bulk of FoodFood is measured quantitatively in heat units called "calories." In whatever form food is consumed and whatever defects in quality exist, it must be sufficient in quantity. A large man requires more calories than a small man, and a manual labourer more than a person engaged in sedentary work. In the anxiety to provide a balanced diet it must not be forgotten that men cannot live on vitamins alone.
The more indigestible fibre and water which any food contains the greater is the bulk required to provide the necessary calories; hence a vegetarian diet is the most bulky and, in view of the limited capacity of the human stomach and the short period of his life which man devotes to eating, a vegetarian diet is inconsistent with hard manual labour; it must be supplemented by cereals and food from animal sources. Fat is, by virtue of its superlative energy production, the least bulky of foods in proportion to its power to allay hunger.
The feeling of distention after a meal, which is unpleasant to the European but desirable to the Native, can be produced in two ways: (i) By long intervals between meals. This implies larger meals to satisfy appetite; (ii) by reducing the fat content of the diet and Increasing the water and indigestible fibre.
In practice, the Native relies on both these principles. Instead of the European's three meals a day and snacks between meals, the native prefers one or two heavy meals, the combined caloric value of which is no greater and no less than that of a daily ration for a European of similar size and expending as much physical energy. The proportion of fibre is slightly greater in the Native's diet, but he objects to too much, such as is caused by the addition of coarse bran to his mealie meal. He can eat more ground nuts than the European, but dislikes more than about 2 ozs. (shelled) a day because the fat content of ground nuts is a high one.
Native Diet versus EuropeanIt is a debatable point as to whether the Native's dietetic habits are more physiologically perfect or the European's. The Native's habits save much time in food preparation and fuel, and he makes full use of the storage capacity of his digestive organs and liver and, incidentally, appears to be immune to many of the gastrointestinal disorders and lesions which are so prevalent among Europeans.
On the other hand, the relatively smaller proportion of fat in the Native's diet means a reduced consumption of the fatsoluble Vitamins A and D, other things being equal. Vitamin A is necessary for growth, and to resist infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy and pneumonia. The white maize used in this Colony contains a negligible amount of carotene, the precursor of Vitamin A, which is found in most vegetables and fruits with a yellow or red colour, such as yellow maize, carrot, pumpkin, yellow sweet potato, mango, pawpaw, tomato and in most green leafy vegetables and in egg yolk.
The Vitamin C content of the diet of natives working on the Rand mines has been estimated and found to be only just above the minimum standard necessary to protect against scurvy; there is no great margin of safety. Figures of the Vitamin A content are unfortunately not available, but it is doubtful if the margin (it safety is any greater than that of Vitamin C. With the exception of some of our larger industrial companies in this Colony, the diet of the Native is not under strict and constant supervision, and therefore probably gives a lower margin of safety than that on the Rand mines. The larger quantity of meat consumed by the Native labourer than by the Native in his kraal probably confers protection against pellagra.
Ground Nuts versus Dried BeansThe Native consumes no milk or cheese except, occasionally, sour clotted milk, so the calcium content of his diet is usually below that of the European. Next to milk or cheese, dried beans have the highest calcium content. Ground nuts contain much fat but not much minerals, therefore not more than about 2 ozs. a day are indicated from any point of view, whereas dried beans of good quality can be consumed up to about 4 ozs. a day without complaint and thus increase the mineral and protein content of the diet. Of the .75 gramme of calcium required a day, .2 gramme is supplied by 4 ozs. of beans, and .04 gramme by 2 ozs. of ground nuts (shelled).
The Diet of the Kraal Native and the Native LabourerAn adult, man performing no hard work requires about 2,000 calories it day to sustain his resting bodily functions. Under conditions of hard labour, however, from 4,000 to 5,000 calories are necessary. This may be provided by extra carbohydrates such as maize or molasses, but it is necessary to augment the protein, minerals and vitamins in the diet because the stress of hard labour and the contact with hundreds of strangers, incidental to living in a cornhound, increase the risk of infection by various diseases. It is a pity that we have not sufficient knowledge of the preparation of "usavi" dishes to provide the Native labourer with the extra protein, minerals and vitamins in a form whichhe would appreciate, rather than as meat, ground nuts, beans and vegetables as we do. Researchalong these lines is indicated urgently. It is true that the Native becomes sophisticated toEuropean foods gradually, but it is doubtful if this is to his benefit. It would be better to adjus this traditional diet so that it would be sufficient for hard labour than to try to impose a new diet on him suddenly. However, until this Ideal state is reached, the ration scale prescribed in the Mining Regulations should be taken as a reasonably good diet for conditions of labour. This is composed of 1 lbs. of maize meal (or other itrial such as rapoko, mabele, inyouti or rice) a day, and a weekly ration of 2 lbs. meat, 2 lbs. dried beans, 1 lb. ground nuts, 2 lbs. fresh vegetables, and 3 ozs. salt. An average analysis of this diet shows a daily consumption of 130 grammes of protein, 85grammes of fat, and 627 grammes of carbohydrate with a total of 3,890 calories. When fresh vegetables are difficult to obtain it is essential to provide some antiscorbutic substitute, and to personally supervise its consumption by the Natives. Mazoe Orange Concentrate is as good an antiscorbutic for this purpose as can be obtained here, and it is cheaper to provide this than to lose labour on account of scurvy. The difficulty of ensuring that Natives consume the fresh vegetables which are provided is insuperable in the absence of a large staff and communal cooking and, even in the latter event, there is a tendency for some natives pick the meat out of the stew and throw away the rest.
Kaffir Beer.Kaffir beer, in moderation, is a usefull source of Vitamins B1 and B2.
Different Kinds of Maize MealFrom the energyproducing point of view there is nothing to choose between the various grades of maize meal. Where natives have complained and sample's of the offending meal were examined, these were found to contain an abnormal proportion of added coarse fibre, husks and sweepings. Straightrun, 30 mesh meal is richer in protein, fat, minerals and vitamins than roller meal or ordinary 30 mesh.
Since the Native labourer's diet, even if it conforms with the Mining Regulations, has only a narrow margin of protective properties, and maize meal figures so largely in the diet, it Is strongly advisable to ensure that the maize meal is the best obtainable from the health point of view and, at the same time, palatable. Straightrun, 30 mesh meal, with the following specification, fulfills these conditions: (1) The meal should be milled from Class A maize;
(2) it should be straightrun, 30 mesh;
(3) it should be free from any deteriorative or adulterative addition such as husk, refuse from other millings, etc.;
(4) at least 95 per cent. should pass through a sieve fitted with a 30 mesh screen made of medium wire, i.e., wire with a diameter of 1/120th part of an inch enclosing square sieving holes with sides approximately 1/40th part of an inch long;
(5) it should not contain more than 14 per cent, of moisture nor yield more than 1.6 per cent, of ash.
MolassesMolasses is concentrated carbohydrate and contains a large proportion of iron. It is a useful source of energy and iron, and is highly appreciated by natives, but should be given in limited quantities, up to 2 ozs. a day.
Infant Feeding.Human milk is the best feed for infants until they are about 9 months old. However, the process of weaning implies the introduction of starch into the diet in the form of cereal. Infants have a limited ability to digest starch and this ability can be trained by the gradual increase of the amount of cereal in the diet during the weaning period. It is a controversial problem as to when is the best time to commence giving an infant starch. Some are averse to commencing this before the infant is 9 months old, others consider 6 months is the appropriate age, while some maintain that starch should figure in the diet after the first ten days of life. However, the important point to remember is that starch should be given at first in very small proportions and increased gradually according to the infant's ability to digest it and should at no time exceed it certain proportion of the diet.
The native mother's custom of giving gruel to her infant may or, may not be advantageous according to the quantity which is given. The custom among certain tropical races of feeding infants on a diet consisting largely or entirely of starch is, in the writer's experience responsible for the bulk of infantile disorders and the high infant mortality which are associated therewith. One cannot say whether this applies to the Rhodesian native without further investigation. If it does, it is a most difficult problem to cope with. Where human milk is unavailable, the use of cow's or goat's milk is best from the dietetic point of view but here again there is a difficulty. The native is ignorant of the principles of elementary hygiene, and milk can be more harmful than excessive starch unless it Is prepared and served under hygienic conditions.
It must be obvious from the above that any advice on native thief cs at present can only be provisional. Tradition is necessary for the survival of any race, but the changes in environment subsequant to European colonisation have been too rapid for tradition to adjust itself to the new circumstances. By scientific research and organisation we should, by a reverse procedure, adjust the new circumstances to tradition as far as possible.