Sugar is better supplied the child in a lump or in home-made molasses candy, rather than in the sweetening of porridge, oatmeal, or bread and milk, etc. Molasses is readily absorbed and is mildly laxative, and when young children are not allowed to eat too much, it assists in keeping the bowels open. Sweet fruits, fully ripened, contain much sugar and should be freely given to the child. [Sidenote: Starch] Starch is one of the most important carbohydrates. It is formed from the carbon dioxid and water in the air and in the soil by the chemical action of the sun’s rays on the cells of living plants. As stated, corn-starch, sago, tapioca, and arrowroot are practically pure starch. Rice is almost pure starch. Corn-starch is obtained from young maturing corn; tapioca comes from a tropical plant, cassava; sago from the pith of the sago palm; arrowroot from a plant of the same name, a native of the West Indies. Starch lacks flavor and for this reason all starchy foods are seasoned with salt. Salt increases the activity of the saliva and pancreatic juices. All starches must undergo much chemical change by action of the saliva and the intestinal juices, before they can be used by the body. The digestion is begun by the saliva in the mouth and is continued in the stomach, by the saliva, until the gastric secretions begin to act. Starch is not acted on by the gastric juice but passes unchanged into the intestines, where it is converted, by the pancreatic juice, into dextrin, maltose, and glucose. It is thus absorbed into the blood. After the digested starch passes into the blood it is taken to the liver and is there changed into glycogen and is stored in reserve. When the system needs to produce energy it is first furnished by the glycogen. When this is exhausted the fats and proteins are used. The _starches_ and _sugars_ then are really the energy “reserves” of the body, any excess over the daily needs being stored until required. Starchy foods should not be given to any one in whom, from disease or derangement, the starch-converting ferments, ptyalin in the saliva and pancreatin in the pancreatic juice, are lacking. Because the child has not developed the ferment in sufficient quantities necessary for starch digestion, starchy food must not be given to a child under twelve to eighteen months; at least not until he has teeth and chews his food. Then he should be given starchy food in the form of a crust or hard cracker which he chews thoroughly and mixes with saliva. Potatoes or bananas which the child does not masticate, should not be given him under the age of two years. [Sidenote: Fat] Fat is the most concentrated form of fuel and is readily oxidized. It has about twice the fuel value of carbohydrates. It is almost pure carbon, hence less chemical work is required to convert it into fuel, but more oxygen is needed.