The figuring of diets that shall have certain desired values in protein, fat and carbohydrate is tedious and time consuming. Attempts to overcome this difficulty by the use of approximate values are of most uncertain success. The tables procurable for common measure are incomplete, and their use not only does not save time, but is likely to cause gross error.
It is necessary to use the metric system. The diet is to be made out according to the number of grams of protein, fat and carbohydrate that are desirable.
The tables of Atwater and Bryant1 are most convenient as a basis of computation. These tables give the percentage of protein, fat and carbohydrate in various foods. They give the fuel value per pound. The fuel value per hundred grams would be more convenient for the present purpose and it must be figured out. If, in estimating a diet, one