The influence of phytin and of fats on the production of rickets by a cereal diet

Abstract

The addition of 3% Ca lactate to a diet compased entirely of wheaten cereals (white flour and germ) resulted in good growth and reproduction in rats. The tabulated results show that the biological value of the proteins of wheaten cereals is much higher than has been supposed; their main nutritional defect is the disproportion of the acidic and basic mineral constituents especially Ca and P. The addition of other natural foodstuffs such as meat, cheese and milk improved the nutritive value of the mixture or failed to do so in accordance with the degree to which they corrected the Ca/P ratio.