Ray Keeler, age 17, of Gadsden, Ala., for his question:
DOES MEAT HAVE MUCH NUTRITIONAL VALUE?
Nutritionists and doctors tell us that meat is an energy food that contains the five basic food elements that human beings need: proteins, minerals, vitamins, fats and carbohydrates. Meat, the scientists say, has great nutritional value.
Meat protein is well balanced and contains all the essential tissue building elements called amino acids. Nearly all meats contain the minerals iron and copper, which are needed for the blood. Liver is especially rich in iron and copper. Most meats also contain phosphorus which aids in building strong bones and teeth.
Most meat is also an excellent source of vitamins. Nearly all of the vitamin B complex group is found in lean beef, lamb, pork and veal. Thiamine is important for the growth and action of the heart and nerves. Riboflavin is needed for healthy skin and normal vision.
The fat in meat is one of the best sources of body heat and energy. Some meats contain small amounts of carbohydrates in the form of glycogen. Carbohydrates supply energy and are necessary for normal body functioning.
Meat consists mainly of the muscle, fat and certain other tissues of animals. The most commonly eaten meats come from cattle (beef and veal), hogs (pork), sheep (lamb and mutton), fish and such poultry as chickens, turkeys and ducks.
Some nutritionists and doctors suggest vegetarianism for their patients. This is the practice of living on meatless diets.
Most vegetarians, on the advice of their doctors, try to get the proteins they need by eating the seeds of legumes such as beans, peas and peanuts. They also use specially prepared food supplements to add essential nutrients to their diets.
Americans eat about 50 billion pounds of red meat each year. But in several other countries, people eat more red meat than do Americans. Topping Americans in meat consumption are Uruguayans, New Zealanders, Australians and Argentineans.
Veal is the flesh of calves from 2 to 14 weeks old. Calves which are older are usually sold as calves or yearling beef. Veal is more tender than beef and it contains a lower percentage of fat.
Beef is the flesh of full grown cattle. In the United States, it is generally considered a tastier meat than veal. Good beef has white fat and bright cherry red lean meat.
Lamb is the flesh of young sheep. The meat of a sheep becomes mutton when the animal is about a year old. Lamb has white fat and light pink meat. Lamb has a much milder flavor than mutton.
Pork is the flesh of hogs. It is sold as pork no matter how old the hog is. All hogs have a high percent age of fat from 20 percent to 40 percent. The eating quality of pork does not change much with the animal's age. Bacon, ham, pork chops and spareribs are favorite pork meats.