Counsels on Diet and Foods

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Part 3—Pie, Cake, Pastry, Puddings

537. The desserts which take so much time to prepare, are, many of them, detrimental to health.—[Spec. Test. on Education, October, 1893] Fundamentals of Christian Education, 227 CD 331.4

A Temptation to Overindulgence

538. At too many tables, when the stomach has received all that it requires to properly carry on its work of nourishing the system, another course, consisting of pies, puddings, and highly flavored sauces, is placed upon the table.... Many, though they have already eaten enough, will overstep the bounds, and eat the tempting dessert, which, however, proves anything but good for them.... If the extras which are provided for dessert were dispensed with altogether, it would be a blessing.—Letter 73a, 1896 CD 331.5

539. Because it is the fashion, in harmony with morbid appetite, rich cake, pies, and puddings, and every hurtful thing, are crowded into the stomach. The table must be loaded down with a variety, or the depraved appetite cannot be satisfied. In the morning, these slaves to appetite often have impure breath, and a furred tongue. They do not enjoy health, and wonder why they suffer with pains, headaches, and various ills.—Spiritual Gifts 4a:130, 1864 CD 332.1

540. The human family have indulged an increasing desire for rich food, until it has become a fashion to crowd all the delicacies possible into the stomach. Especially at parties of pleasure is the appetite indulged with but little restraint. Rich dinners and late suppers are partaken of, consisting of highly seasoned meats with rich gravies, rich cakes, pies, ice cream, etc.—How to Live 1:53, 1865. CD 332.2

541. Because it is fashion, many who are poor and dependent upon their daily labor, will be to the expense of preparing different kinds of rich cakes, preserves, pies, and a variety of fashionable food for visitors, which only injure those who partake of them; when, at the same time, they need the amount thus expended, to purchase clothing for themselves and children. This time occupied in cooking food to gratify the taste at the expense of the stomach, should be devoted to the moral and religious instruction of their children.—How to Live 1:54, 1865. CD 332.3

[For context see 128]

[Rich Foods Create Desire for Stimulants—203]

Not a Part of a Healthful, Nourishing Diet

542. Many understand how to make different kinds of cakes, but cake is not the best food to be placed upon the table. Sweet cakes, sweet puddings, and custards will disorder the digestive organs; and why should we tempt those who surround the table by placing such articles before them?—The Youth's Instructor, May 31, 1894 CD 332.4

543. Flesh meats and rich cakes and pies prepared with spices of any kind, are not the most healthful and nourishing diet.—Testimonies for the Church 2:400, 1870 CD 333.1

544. The desserts that are taken in the form of custards are liable to do more harm than good. Fruit, if it can be obtained, is the best article of food.—Letter 91, 1898 CD 333.2

545. Far too much sugar is ordinarily used in food. Cakes, sweet puddings, pastries, jellies, jams, are active causes of indigestion. Especially harmful are the custards and puddings in which milk, eggs, and sugar are the chief ingredients. The free use of milk and sugar taken together should be avoided.—The Ministry of Healing, 302, 1905 CD 333.3

546. Let those who advocate health reform strive earnestly to make it all that they claim it is. Let them discard everything detrimental to health. Use simple, wholesome food. Fruit is excellent, and saves much cooking. Discard rich pastries, cakes, desserts, and other dishes prepared to tempt the appetite. Eat fewer kinds of food at one meal, and eat with thanksgiving.—Letter 135, 1902 CD 333.4

Simple Desserts Not Forbidden

547. Plain, simple pie may serve as dessert, but when one eats two or three pieces merely to gratify an inordinate appetite, he unfits himself for the service of God. Some, after partaking largely of other food, will take dessert, not because they need it, but because it tastes good. If they are asked to take a second piece, the temptation is too great to be resisted, and two or three pieces of pie are added to the load placed upon the already overworked stomach. He who will do this has never educated himself to practice self-denial. The victim of appetite is so wedded to his own way that he cannot see the injury he is doing to himself.—Letter 17, 1895 CD 333.5

548. Then, when she needed extra clothing and extra food, and that of a simple yet nutritious quality, it was not allowed her. Her system craved material to convert into blood; but he would not provide it. A moderate amount of milk and sugar, a little salt, white bread raised with yeast for a change, graham flour prepared in a variety of ways by other hands than her, plain cake with raisins, rice pudding with raisins, prunes, and figs, occasionally, and many other dishes I might mention, would have answered the demand of appetite.—Testimonies for the Church 2:383, 384, 1870 CD 334.1

549. The food placed before the patients should be such as to make a favorable impression on them. Eggs can be prepared in a variety of ways. Lemon pie should not be forbidden.—Letter 127, 1904 CD 334.2

[Lemon pie used by E. G. White—Appendix 1:22]

550. The dessert should be placed on the table and served with the rest of the food; for often, after the stomach has been given all it should have, the dessert is brought on, and is just that much too much.—Letter 53, 1898 CD 334.3

For Clear Minds and Strong Bodies

551. I wish we were all health reformers. I am opposed to the use of pastries. These mixtures are unhealthful; no one can have good digestive powers and a clear brain who will eat largely of sweet cookies and cream cake and all kinds of pies, and partake of a great variety of food at one meal. When we do this, and then take cold, the whole system is so clogged and enfeebled that it has no power of resistance, no strength to combat disease. I would prefer a meat diet to the sweet cakes and pastries so generally used.—Letter 10, 1891 CD 334.4

552. Let health reformers remember that they may do harm by publishing recipes which do not recommend health reform. Great care is to be shown in furnishing recipes for custards and pastry. If for dessert sweet cake is eaten with milk or cream, fermentation will be created in the stomach, and then the weak points of the human organism will tell the story. The brain will be affected by the disturbance in the stomach. This may be easily cured if people will study from cause to effect, cutting out of their diet that which injures the digestive organs and causes pain in the head. By unwise eating, men and women are unfitted for the work they might do without injury to themselves if they would eat simply.—Letter 142, 1900 CD 334.5

553. I am convinced that none need to make themselves sick preparing for camp meeting, if they observe the laws of health in their cooking. If they make no cake or pies, but cook simple graham bread, and depend on fruit, canned or dried, they need not get sick in preparing for the meeting, and they need not be sick while at the meeting.—Testimonies for the Church 2:602, 1871 CD 335.1

554. It is better to let sweet things alone. Let alone those sweet dessert dishes that are placed on the table. You do not need them. You want a clear mind to think after God's order. We should now come into line with health reform principles.—The Review and Herald, January 7, 1902 CD 335.2

[Cakes, Pies, Ices, Served at Rich Dinners and Late Suppers—233]

[Preparations for Fashionable Gatherings—128]

[Educating the Appetite to Accept a Plain Diet—245]

[Fasting a Help in Overcoming Perverted Appetite—312]

[Though Mince Pies, Spices, etc., Are Discarded, Food Should Be Prepared with Care—389]

[Cakes or Pies Not to Be Included in Preparations for Camp Meeting—57, 74]

[Rich food and desserts not served in White home—Appendix 1:4, 13]

[The Less Condiments and Desserts, the Better—193]

[Rich Desserts Served with Vegetables—722]

[Rich Pastry Deranges the Stomach and Excites the Nerves—356]

[Detrimental Effects of Desserts in Diet of Children—288, 350, 355, 360]

[Rich Food Not Best for Sedentary Workers—225]

[Making a Covenant with God to Discontinue the Use of Rich Foods—41]