Wheat as food

Abstract

Introduction: Since wheat so nearly meets the requirements for a perfect food, it will doubtless hold its place for ages to come as in ages past, as the staple element of man’s diet. No other grain contains the elements in so nearly the required proportions for man’s needs as does wheat. Greatly as its value has been increased by improved methods of preparation, there is yet room for advance. That the productiveness of the plant may be increased by careful selection and cultivation, that the nutritive value of the grain can be increased by the use of fertilizers, we can not doubt. And as the culture of this grain has marked the progress of man’s civilization we may hope to see no limit to the improvement of the one until the other shall have reached perfection.