4-1. Although you can live several weeks without food, you need an adequate amount to stay healthy. Without food, your mental and physical capabilities will deteriorate rapidly and you will become weak. Food provides energy and replenishes the substances that your body burns. Food provides vitamins, minerals, salts, and other elements essential to good health. Possibly more important, it helps morale.
4-2. The three basic sources of food are plants, animals (including fish and sea life), and commercial rations. In varying degrees, all three provide the calories, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins needed for normal daily body functions. Commercial rations should be saved to augment plant and animal foods, which will extend and help maintain a balanced diet.
4-3. The average person needs 2,000 calories per day to function at a minimum level. An adequate amount of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins without an adequate caloric intake will lead to starvation and cannibalism of the body’s own tissue for energy. Signs of malnutrition/starvation include the following:
- Loss of body fat.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Lower body temperature.
- Reduced muscle mass.
- Fatigue.
- Longer healing time for wounds and illness.
Nutrition
4-4. From the moment a piece of food enters the mouth, each bite is broken down and used by the body. Metabolism is the series of chemical reactions that transform food into components that can be used for the body’s basic processes. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins are vital to proper function of the body.
Carbohydrates
4-5. Carbohydrates provide an immediate source of energy, or are stored for future use. When stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles they remain an effective and efficient energy source.
4-6. Excess calories from carbohydrates (just like excess protein and fat) convert to fat and serve as an energy source for future activity. Because of their role as a primary fuel source for physical and cognitive activity 45 percent to 65 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates. Good sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products.
Fats
4-7. Fats are over twice as calorically dense as carbohydrates and protein and can provide an important source of energy. Fats come in many forms and are essential for normal body function. In addition to being a good energy source, fats play a key regulatory role in numerous biological functions and serve as a carrier for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and carotenoids. The recommended total fat intake is between 20 and 35 percent of calories. Animal flesh, seeds, and nuts are all good sources of fat.
Proteins
4-8. Protein is the major structural component of all cells. Major functions include rebuilding muscle and repairing tissue. Proteins are made up of amino acids. Those that contain adequate proportions of all essential amino acids are considered complete proteins. Complete proteins include meat sources, dairy and eggs. While most plants do not contain complete protein, eating a variety of sources of incomplete protein will ensure the body receives the essential amino acids it needs. Foods that are not complete proteins but are still good sources of protein include beans, nuts and seeds.
Vitamins
4-9. Vitamins occur in small quantities in many foods and are essential for normal growth and health. Their chief function is to regulate the body processes. Vitamins can generally be placed into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins (D, E, A, K) need fat and minerals for absorption and storage in the body’s fat and liver. Water-soluble vitamins (all except those listed previously) need frequent replenishing. The body only stores slight amounts of the water-soluble type. During a long isolating event where a routinely balanced diet is not available, an isolated person must overcome food aversions and eat as much of a variety of vitamin-rich foods as possible. Often one or more of the basic food groups (protein, grains, dairy, vegetables and fruits) are not available in the form of familiar foods, and vitamin deficiencies such as beriberi or scurvy result.
Minerals
4-10. There are two categories of minerals: (major minerals and micro or trace minerals) both of which are essential for critical structural elements, controlling the action of nerves and muscles, maintenance of the body’s water balance and the regulation of multiple essential bodily functions. Common examples of minerals include sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron. The impact of a mineral deficiency can include poor body water regulation, compromised immune function, an increase the prevalence of infection and physical and cognitive decrements.
Food Availability
4-11. Operational environments play a significant role in determining how much food an isolated person requires. In cold environments, more calories will be required to maintain necessary body heat. In hot environments, more water and less food will be required to meet their needs. Isolated personnel should learn what and how to consume and ration their food and water. If they are low on water (less than one quart a day), they should stay away from starchy, dry, salty food sources. These types of items will require more water to digest and increase thirst. Consuming foods with high carbohydrate content is best for water conservation, while high protein foods tend to require more water for digestion.
Plants
4-12. Plant foods provide carbohydrates—the main source of energy. Many plants provide enough protein to keep the body at normal efficiency. Although plants may not provide a balanced diet, they will sustain you even in the arctic, where meat’s heat producing qualities are normally essential. Many plant foods such as nuts and seeds will give you enough protein and oils for normal efficiency. Roots, green vegetables, and plant foods containing natural sugar will provide calories and carbohydrates that give the body natural energy.
4-13. The food value of plants becomes more and more important if you are eluding the enemy or if you are in an area, where wildlife is scarce. For instance—
- You can dry plants by wind, air, sun, or fire. This retards spoilage so that you can store or carry the plant food with you to use when needed.
- You can obtain plants more easily and more quietly than meat. This is extremely important when the enemy is near.
Animals
4-14. Meat is more nourishing than plant food. In fact, it may even be more readily available in some places. However, to get meat, you need to know the habits of and how to capture the various wildlife. To satisfy your immediate food needs, first seek the more abundant and more easily obtained wildlife, such as insects, crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and reptiles. These can satisfy your immediate hunger while you are preparing traps and snares for larger game. General considerations for animals includes the following—
- Insects are plentiful and very easy to forage. Insects live close to the ground under logs and rocks, and in underground colonies.
- Fish are procured by the use of items such as hooks, fishing line, weights, spears, or lures. Knowledge of fishing techniques will give isolated persons the edge when procuring fish. Basic principles of how fish react and how to trap, prepare, and consume them will provide a plentiful source of food near fresh or saltwater areas.
4-15. Small mammals, such as rabbits, prairie dogs, and rats, often inhabit arid regions. Look in the shade or in underground burrows to protect themselves from the sun and heat. Small animals such as rodents usually live in desert caves or rock outcroppings. Smoke sometimes works to force small animals, such as rabbits, out of their burrows. Placing traps and snares at openings of these burrows is the best method to catch them.
Basic Food Preparation
4-16. Once plants are identified as edible, they need only be washed to ensure that all potential fertilizer or other toxins are rinsed off. The foliage is then cut up into usable pieces and either consume raw or cook the material as needed.
4-17. Clean and eat sea life as soon as possible to avoid spoilage. Preserve leftover meat by drying or smoking. Use the internal parts as bait for future fishing opportunities.
4-18. Sea birds have proven to be a useful source of food. Skin freshly killed birds, rather than plucking, to remove oil glands. The meat is edible raw, sundried, or cooked. The gullet contents can be a good food source. Eat the flesh or preserve immediately after cleaning. The viscera, along with any other unused parts, makes good fish bait.
4-19. Game food should be fully prepared with the least amount of effort and exertion. Almost every part of game food can be consumed. Skinning and butchering should be done so that all edible meat can be saved. Cutting large animals up into smaller pieces will assist in moving the meat closer to where isolated persons are camped. When removing the skin of an animal, isolated persons must decide if they are going to use the hide to improvise an item like a piece of clothing or a water bag, or if they will just discard the skin after it is removed. If it is to be discarded, a rough skinning job can be completed. The best time to butcher and skin an animal is right after it is killed. At that time, the animal is still hydrated and the skin will come off the easiest. The internal organs can spoil the rest of the meat if not removed in a timely fashion. If the animal is killed late in the day, the organs can be removed and the rest of the butchering can be done at a later time. An effort should be made to secure the carcass from predators.
4-20. When butchering an animal, all edible fat should be saved—especially in colder climates where an isolated person’s diet might consist of only lean meat. Fat should be eaten to provide for a more balanced and complete diet.
4-21. Small game skinning of animals like squirrels, rabbits, and other small-size game begins with removing the entrails. This is done by splitting the body open and pulling them out with the fingers. This should also include the chest cavity.
4-22. During preparation, ensure that all items used for their processing and preparations like tools and cutting surfaces are cleaned well. Avoid cross contamination with other foods, improper handling of raw meat can spread bacteria and make the isolated person ill. Prevent raw juices from raw meat and seafood from dripping onto other food during the storage and preparation process. Wash hands before and after food handling to minimize the chances of spreading bacteria that could make the isolated person ill. Prepare a sanitizer by putting one teaspoon of liquid bleach per one quart of water. Use this to wash down all contaminated surfaces. Leave the solution on the surfaces for a full tem minutes before rinsing off.
Note. There is less work and less wear on cutting implements if the ribs are broken first, then the breaks are cut.
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