Skip to main content

Keep calm and eat like a granny: Nutrition advice given to Britons during World War II could be the key to improving diets today

It is 70 years since the Ministry of Food’s leaflets taught Britons to eat well on rations and stay ‘fit for the fight’ during the Second World War.

But much of the long-forgotten dietary advice still stands and, says a leading nutritionist, could help improve our diet today.

A new book, Eating For Victory, reproduces the leaflets distributed along with posters in the 1940s.

Here is some of the advice as it was printed. It’s accompanied by wartime illustrations – with a modern interpretation of the old wisdom...

A new book, Eating For Victory, contains posters which were distributed by the Ministry of Food to try and encourage Britons to eat healthily during WWII. Dr Carrot, pictured, and his companion Potato Pete were two of the Ministry of Food's most popular creations

POTATOES

There is no vegetable more useful than the homely potato. It is a valuable yet cheap source of energy, and one of the foods that help to protect us from ill-health.

It contains Vitamin C and 1lb of potatoes daily will give half the amount of this vitamin needed to prevent against fatigue and fight infection.

So don’t think of potatoes merely as something to serve with the meat. A stuffed baked potato can be a course in itself. 

Bridget Benelam, a scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, says: ‘A medium-sized baked potato, with skin, provides a third of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of Vitamin C – twice that of an apple.

It will also provide half the RDA of potassium – important for blood pressure and water balance – iron, zinc and B vitamins.’

The homely potato: Britons were encouraged to eat potatoes in the 1940s, pictured left, as they are a cheap source of energy and packed full of vitamin C. Leaflets were also distributed encouraging people to eat cheese because it is a 'concentrated energy-giving food', pictured right

CHEESE

Cheese is an A1 food because it is an excellent body-builder, better than meat for building firm muscles. It builds strong bones and teeth, too. Therefore, it is invaluable for growing children. Plenty of cheese in childhood means less dental trouble in later life.

It is a concentrated energy-giving food, especially suitable for heavy workers as it gives a large amount of energy in small bulk. It contains a high proportion of fat and so gives a feeling of satisfaction after a meal.

Eat like a granny: Bridget Benelam says much of the advice given in the 1940s is still relevant today

Bridget says: ‘A matchbox-sized serving, 30g, of cheese provides a quarter of our daily calcium needs – crucial for maintaining bone density – although milk or yogurt might be better choices as they are lower in fat.

‘Cheese is as good a source of protein as meat but generally contains more fat, so should be eaten less.’

HERRINGS

‘Of all the fish that swim in the sea,’ runs the old saying, ‘the herring is the king.’ Consider the herring’s food value. It is a very cheap source of the best body-building protein.

Herring oil not only supplies an extraordinarily high number of calories and energy-giving units, but it also contains two vitamins, A and D. Vitamin A strengthens resistance to disease and Vitamin D is essential for bones and teeth.

Bridget says: ‘This is still true – herrings are an excellent source of fish oil. Research since the 1940s has shown the omega 3 in oily fish is important for good heart and brain health.

'We should eat two portions of fish a week, one oily. Nowadays other types of fish are readily available, such as tuna.’

DRIED EGGS

Dried egg is pure fresh egg with no additions, and nothing but the moisture taken away. It is pure egg, spray-dried.

Eggs contain first-class body-building material. They also help us to resist colds and other infection because of their high protective properties. They are easily digested, and for this reason are especially good for children and invalids.

Bridget says: ‘Transporting food is easy now so we generally eat only fresh eggs. Two medium eggs provide your entire RDA of B12, important for blood and brain function, and 60 per cent of our Vitamin D requirement. They are also high in protein.’

King of the sea: Herring was a cheap, readily-available fish that provided a lot of protein and vitamins, pictured right, while Britons were encouraged to eat dried eggs for their protein, Vitamin D and B12 content, pictured right, as food transportion in the 1940s wasn't what it is today and fresh eggs were harder to come by

VITAMINS

Enemies of Vitamins: air, water, heat. Too much of any of these will destroy the Vitamin C. Therefore, have your vegetables as fresh as possible.

Best of all, grow them yourself. Wash your vegetables in salted water but do not soak them overlong. Shred them before cooking to cook quickly.

Bridget says: ‘Oxidisation occurs when certain vitamins in food are exposed to heat, air or light, meaning they degrade and become ineffective. This is particularly true of Vitamin C, often lost in cooking water.

'It is best not to cut up veg in advance as the air will degrade the vitamins. Steaming is the best method of cooking.’

  More... Fish oil 'can restore the brain after junk food': Diets rich in omega-3s play key role in reversing damage caused by high fats Dieter's dream... the pizza that's 'healthier than a salad' and contains all 47 of the nutrients we need Now Special K sheds some fat: Breakfast cereal reduces amount it contains by 40%

GREEN VEGETABLES

When fresh fruit is short, we need green vegetables more than ever because they all contain the important fresh-fruit vitamin, Vitamin C.

Some have more than others. Brussels sprouts, parsley and watercress all contain more than oranges. For healthy eating, plan to have a green leafy vegetable at least once every day.

Bridget says: ‘This all holds true – vegetables can have just as much Vitamin C as fruit. In fact, a pepper contains double the Vitamin C of an orange and will provide your entire daily requirement.

‘Dark green leaves are an important source of antioxidants, which protect cells from a host of diseases from cancer to age-related sight loss.’

Dig for Victory Now: Britons were encouraged to grow their own vegetables to help with food rationing during World War II, pictured left, while soups were suggested as a quick and healthy dinner, pictured right

SOUPS AND BROTHS

Once upon a time cooks used to think a good soup needed three or four hours’ cooking, and that to be nourishing it must be made from meat and bones.

Today we know better. Tasty soups can be made quickly using vegetables and vegetable water, or stock from meat cubes or vegetable extract.

Bridget says: ‘Soup has a good reputation for being healthy because it’s low-calorie but fills you up because it contains a lot of water.

'The vegetables added will provide different vitamins, which won’t be lost in cooking as they just leach into the liquid.

'Soup can also be high in fibre, which keeps the gut healthy. Stock cubes can be high in salt, though.’








Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o