A Nutrition Officer at the Kassena Nankana Municipal Health Directorate, Kingsley Kanwi, has urged the public to prioritise locally produced foods as a sustainable way to meet their nutritional needs and improve overall health.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Tuesday, February 10, Kanwi noted that many indigenous foods are high in nutritional value and play a key role in boosting health and overall well-being.
According to him, local food products such as dawadawa, shea butter, groundnuts, and leafy vegetables are rich in essential nutrients, including iron, and are often healthier than many highly patronised processed foods.
“We have dawadawa, which is rich in iron, as well as shea butter, groundnut,s and vegetables. These local foods are far more nutritious and healthier compared to some of the processed food products people consume regularly,” he said.
Kanwi further explained that consuming locally produced foods is generally safer, as they are less likely to be contaminated with harmful chemicals.
“When you focus on locally available foods, such as preparing local porridge with millet, dawadawa, amani and adding shea butter, you get a very nutritious meal,” he added.
He stressed that healthy eating does not have to be expensive, given the wide availability of nutritious local foods, especially in the Upper East Region.
“We have what it takes to eat nutritious meals if we choose to. We should reduce our dependence on fast foods, which do not help our systems. We are very fortunate in the Upper East Region because we produce most of these local foods ourselves through gardening,” he said.
Kanwi expressed concern over the high incidence of anaemia recorded in the municipality, despite the abundance of iron-rich local foods.
“It is surprising that we still record high cases of anaemia in the municipality when these nutritious foods are readily available.” He noted.
He therefore advised residents to prioritise healthy eating habits, stressing that good nutrition is key to preventing illness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Mike 105.3FM | Navrongo | David Adapuna
