in our
cups of tea and coffee, and the use of syrup, molasses or honey on our
pancakes and fritters will more than effect this saving.

It seems but a small sacrifice, if sacrifice it can be called, when
one recognizes that cutting down sugar consumption will be most
beneficial to national health. The United States is the largest
consumer of sugar in the world. In 1916 Germany's consumption was 20
lbs. per person per year, Italy's 29 to 30 lbs., that of France 37,
of England 40, while the United States averaged 85 lbs. This enormous
consumption is due to the fact that we are a nation of candy-eaters.
We spend annually $80,000,000 on confections. These are usually eaten
between meals, causing digestive disturbances as well as unwarranted
expense. Sweets are a food and should be eaten at the close of the
meal, and if this custom is established during the war, not only
will tons of sugar be available for our Allies, but the health of the
nation improved.

The average daily consumption of sugar per person in this country is 5
ounces, and yet nutritional experts agree that not more than 3 ounces
a day should be taken. The giving up of one ounce per day will,
therefore, be of great value in reducing many prevalent American
ailments. Flatulent dyspepsia, rheumatism, diabetes, and stomach
acidity are only too frequently traced to an oversupply of sugar in
our daily diet.

Most persons apparently think of sugar merely as a sweetening agent,
forgetting entirely the fact that it is a most concentrated food.
It belongs to what is called the carbohydrate group, upon which we
largely depend for energy and heat. It is especially valuable to
the person doing active physical work, the open-air worker, or the
healthy, active, growing child, but should be used sparingly by other
classes of people. Sugar is not only the most concentrated fuel food
in the dietary, but it is one that is very readily utilized in the
body, 98 per cent. of it being available for absorption, while within
thirty minutes of the time it is taken into the system part of it is
available for energy.

As a food it must be supplied, especially to the classes of people
mentioned above, but as a confection it can well be curtailed. When it
is difficult to obtain, housekeepers must avail themselves of changed
recipes and different combinations to supply the necessary three
ounces per day and to gain the much-desired sweet taste so necessary
to many of our foods of n