12. Questions & Answers

If we choose to purchase our food from the supermarket, is there much of a problem regarding food contamination with pesticides, etc.?

The environmental contamination of food is a nationwide problem. In a government survey of the 50 states, 243 food contamination sources were identified. These include only the most poisonous substances that have resulted in immediate sickness or death. The government attempts to regulate the use of these poisonous sprays so their use is not so heavy to occasion immediate death but this does not mean that they are safe in small amounts. Any amount is deadly because it will accumulate in the tissues of the person eating these sprays on their fruits and vegetables. The only way to safeguard yourself against these poisons is to grow your own or purchase organically-grown foods.

If our supply is limited in organic produce, what can we grow to supplement our needs?

Sprouts is probably your best bet for ease of growing in a limited space during the off season for gardening. The sprout is very high in all vitamins and minerals and is most easy to digest. The proteins are split into amino acids, fats into fatty acids, and starch into sugars. They are therefore, an excellent addition to our diet.

While we are waiting for our nuts and seeds to ripen on our homestead, can our protein needs be met with the fruits and vegetables we grow without the concentrated proteins?

Yes, your protein needs can be met most adequately on a diet of fruits and vegetables. Following is a list of the protein content for some fruits and vegetables: (From Composition and Facts About Foods by Ford Heritage.)

Grams per 100 grams edible portion

Fresh peas 6.3
Kale leaves 6.0
Pawpaw 5.2
Dried apricot 5.0
Brussels sprouts 4.9
Collard leaves 4.8
Dried fig 4.3
Broccoli 3.6
Cauliflower 2.7
Raisin 2.5
Savoy cabbage 2.4
Date 2.2
Kohlrabi 2.0
Snapbeans 1.9
Sapote 1.8
Celeriac 1.8
Black raspberry 1.5
Banana 1.2
Fresh fig 1.2
Casaba melon 1.2
Red raspberry 1.2
Chinese cabbage 1.2
Eggplant 1.2
Carrot 1.1
Tomato 1.1
Apple 1.0
Apricot, fresh 1.0
Orange 1.0
Soursop 1.0
Celery 0.9
Cucumber 0.9
Honey dew 0.8
Tangerine 0.8
Blueberry 0.7
Sweet red pepper 1.4
Lettuce (Romaine) 1.3
Pear 0.7
Japanese persimmon 0.7
Strawberry 0.7
Grapes 0.6
Guava 0.6
Nectarine 0.6
Papaya 0.6
Mango 0.7
Cantaloupe 0.7
Grapefruit 0.5
Mamey 0.5
Plum 0.5
Pomegranate 0.5
Watermelon 0.5
Pineapple 0.4
Apple 0.2

Our protein needs are not large—certainly much less than the Daily Recommended Allowances. A daily average of 20 to 25 grams of protein is a generous one. There are many people who can get along fine on as little as 16 grams a day. From the above list, it should be obvious that the Hygienic diet generously fulfills this need even without the addition of concentrated proteins in the form of nuts and seeds.