The National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) has urged households in the country to consume edible traditional seasonal foods in order to boost their system against non-communicable diseases.
NFNC Communication and Advocacy Specialist, Gerald Kaputo in a statement made available to media yesterday, noted that there is a strong relationship between non-communicable diseases and poor dietary habits.
He said most recently, the country has seen a steady increase in obesity and nutrition related non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases and some forms of cancer.
Mr Kaputo explained that all forms of malnutrition are endemic in many parts of Zambia and pose a real threat to the well-being of the local population, hence the need to consume edible seasonal foods.
He pointed out that in a typical Zambian household, the classic staple diet is predominantly refined maize meal especially in the form of nshima which is consumed with very little relish, limiting dietary diversity.
Mr Kaputo said that at the same time, the country is undergoing a nutritional transition with a shift from predominantly unprocessed traditional foods such as wild and locally produced fruit and vegetables, roots and tubers, nuts and seeds to a diet consisting mainly of ultra- processed food and drinks especially in the urban and peri-urban areas.
‘’Foods made from ultra-processed ingredients such as meat pies, pizza, fried potato chips, shawarma, burgers to mention a few are high in sugar, salt and fats or oils and very low in dietary fibre thus increases the risk of nutrition related diseases.
The potential of traditional Zambian foods to alleviate all forms of malnutrition has been neglected. Foods such as edible mushrooms, edible insects such as inswa, crickets, nshonkonono, and caterpillars and different indigenous vegetables are not only more affordable but have a high nutrient value and can protect against a number of diseases,’’ he said.
Mr Kaputo further added that it has been proven that edible insects are rich in proteins and oils that are essential for the growth and development of infants, young children, women and adults.
‘’Apart from that, they also contain minerals such as iron which prevents anemia in children and women of reproductive age, Zinc for a healthy immune and reproductive system, and vitamins B1 and B2 for efficient functioning of bodily processes as well as dietary fibre which is significant for a healthy digestive system.
Equally, mushrooms are rich in vitamins B and D, have cancer fighting properties, are immune boosters and help to lower cholesterol in the body. Caterpillars too are highly pronounced to be rich in proteins,’’ he said.
Mr Kaputo also noted that these foods must be preserved and stored correctly if they are to provide the above mentioned nutritional benefits and avoid the negative effects of contaminations by mycotoxins such as aflatoxins when poorly grown, preserved and stored.
I only eat home grown organic foods not those gmo beef rared in HHs farms. So many chemicals given to fatten cows quickly..you get cancer.
That is true on health news.
The article completely forgets to mention that Zambian staplefood number one, NSHIMA, has got ZERO nutrients and ZERO dietary fiber. So if all Zambians would reduce their intake of their beloved NSHIMA things would go a hell of a lot better!
And you stup!d KZ, why don’t you take a deadly dose of poisonous mushrooms; that would also improve the entire world immensely!
You tell them. Some of us we cannot afford the Tbone steaks, Hungarian Sausages, Makidonald, HungryLion, Nandos KFC, etc. Even this fish from the fishponds is all now contaminated with all sorts of chemicals fro Zambeef feeds.
For us its Katapa, Chibwabwa, Kapenta, imilonge, Kachesha, ibondwe, kalembula ne finkubala.
All these nice looking and expensive restaurants are serving you with cancerous meats, chickens fish. Beware! These animals and are fed on all sorts of chemicals to fatten them . Its all commercial, they do not care about your health but about the money they get from you.
This NFNC a well prioritized creation of the UNIP government started of well its presence being felt and noticed for advocacy of good nutrition for health especially among children and working closely with the “Under fives clinics!” This was during the heights of combating Kwashiorkor and Marasmus including other related challenges contributing to infancy development. All of a sudden the NFNC went into hibernation! It’s one thing to advise Zambians to consume local ethnic communities foods but over fifty years of independence the NFNC can not boast of publication on “Nutrional Facts guide” on any of the local foods consumed to help their consumption and intake balancing. How then can the millennials who may have no links to their parents’ rural origin villages be encouraged to…
Very true. Zambian honey is treasured in Europe because it s made from nectar with no insecticide