Starchy drinks consist of cereals or cereal products, cooked thoroughly in a large amount of water and strained before serving. Arrowroot, cornstarch, tapioca, rice and rice flour are nearly pure starch. Oats, barley and wheat in forms which include the whole grains contain besides starch some protein and fat, and also valuable mineral matter, especially phosphorous, iron, and calcium salts. In starchy drinks these ingredients are necessarily present in small amounts; hence they have little energy value, unless milk or other highly nutritive material is added. Such drinks are of value when only a small quantity of nutriment can be taken.

Principles of Cooking. As the chief ingredient is starch, long cooking is necessary, in water at a high temperature (212° F.), which softens the cellulose, and breaks open the starch grains, changing the insoluble starch to soluble starch and dextrin, so that it can be readily digested.

Time of cooking should be conscientiously kept by the clock.

Digestion. The action of ptyalin is very rapid, and if these drinks are sipped slowly, so as to be thoroughly mixed with saliva, a considerable portion of starch may be changed to sugar before reaching the intestines.

Barley Water, 180 Calories

Wash barley, add cold water and let soak several hours or over night; in same water, boil gently over direct heat two hours, or in a double boiler steadily four hours, down to one pint if used for infant feeding, and to one cup for the adult. Strain through muslin.

NOTE.—Cream or milk and salt may be added, or lemon juice and sugar. Barley water is an astringent or demulcent drink used to reduce laxative condition.

Rice Water, 100 Calories[8]

Wash the rice; add cold water and soak thirty minutes, heat gradually to boiling point and cook one hour or until rice is tender. Strain, reheat and dilute with boiling water or hot milk to desired consistency. Season with salt.

NOTE.—Sugar may be added if desired, and cinnamon, if allowed, may be cooked with it, and will assist in reducing a laxative condition.

Barley Water (infant feeding) 19 Calories

Blend flour and cold water to a smooth paste in top of double boiler; add gradually the boiling water. Boil over direct heat five minutes, stirring constantly, then put over boiling water and cook 15 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Older infants take the barley water in much more concentrated form. Barley water is used as a diluent with normal infants and in forms of diarrhoea.

NOTE.—For children or adults, use ½ tablespoon barley or rice flour, 1 cup boiling water, ¼ teaspoon salt.

Rice Water No. II, 160 Calories

Wash rice, put into saucepan with water and raisins; boil gently for one hour. Strain. When cold serve. Sugar or salt may be added to taste.

NOTE.—Do not use raisins in bowel trouble.

Oatmeal Water, 50 Calories

Mix oatmeal and cold water, add salt and stir into the boiling water. Boil three hours; replenish the water as it boils away. Strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth. Season, serve cold. Different brands of oatmeal vary considerably in the amount of water which they take up in cooking, and sufficient should always be added to make this drink almost as thin as water.

Oatmeal Water No. II, 220 Calories[9]

Use sterile water (boiled and cooled). Add oatmeal and stand in warm place (covered), for one and one-half hours. Strain, season, and cool. Sometimes used for dyspeptics.

Toast Water, 350 Calories

Cut bread in thin slices and in inch squares. Dry thoroughly in oven until crisp and a delicate brown. Measure, and break into crumbs; add the water and let it stand one hour. Rub through a fine strainer, season and serve hot or cold. The nourishment of the bread is easily absorbed in this way and valuable in cases of fever or extreme nausea.

NOTE.—Milk or cream and sugar may be added.

Crust Coffee

Take some pieces and crusts of brown bread and dry them in a slow oven until thoroughly hard and crisp. Place in a mortar and pound or roll. Pour boiling water over and let soak for about fifteen minutes. This when strained carefully is very acceptable to invalids who are tired of the ordinary drinks, such as lemonade, etc.

Cracker Panada, 100 Calories[10]

Break crackers into pieces and bake quite brown; add water and boil fifteen minutes, allow to stand three or four minutes. Strain off the liquid through a fine wire sieve; season with salt and a little sugar. This is a nourishing beverage for infants that are teething, and with the addition of a little wine and nutmeg, is often prescribed for invalids recovering from a fever.

Bread Panada, 162 Calories

Put water and sugar on to cook, just before it commences to boil add the bread crumbs; stir well, and let it boil three or four minutes. Add the wine, lemon and a grating of nutmeg; let it boil up once more, remove from fire, and keep it closely covered until it is wanted for use.

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