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Malnutrition Kills 500, 000 Nigerian Children Every Year - UNICEF
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has alerted
Nigerians on the danger posed by high rate of infant malnutrition in the
country. According to the world body, Nigeria
is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it
described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country. Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country. Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The United Nations
Children Fund (UNICEF) has alerted Nigerians on the danger posed by high
rate of infant malnutrition in the country.
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
The United Nations
Children Fund (UNICEF) has alerted Nigerians on the danger posed by high
rate of infant malnutrition in the country.
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
The United Nations
Children Fund (UNICEF) has alerted Nigerians on the danger posed by high
rate of infant malnutrition in the country.
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
The United Nations
Children Fund (UNICEF) has alerted Nigerians on the danger posed by high
rate of infant malnutrition in the country.
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
The United Nations
Children Fund (UNICEF) has alerted Nigerians on the danger posed by high
rate of infant malnutrition in the country.
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
The post UNICEF: Malnutrition kills 500,000 children annually in Nigeria appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .
Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/188979/1/unicef-malnutrition-kills-500000-children-annually.html
According to the world body, Nigeria is losing no fewer than 500,000 infants to malnutrition annually, which it described as silent health crisis.
UNICEF wants Nigerians to pay more attention to this situation, which poses dire consequences to the present and future development of the country.
Officials of the international humanitarian agency spoke at a two-day workshop in Calabar, capital of Cross River state for media executives and health correspondents of many Nigerian media organisations.
The workshop, tagged: #Stop Child Malnutrition In Nigeria, was coordinated by the UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku with top officials of the federal and Cross River ministries of health in attendance.
Speaking on the nutritional situation in Nigeria and its impact on children, the Chief Nutritionist of the UNICEF, Mr. Arjan de Wagt said that most of the children die of malnutrition within their first 1000 days on earth.
According to Mr. Wagt, the first 1000 days of a child are so important that they determine not only the child’s growth but also his entire health status throughout the life, up to old age.
UNICEF The Chief Nutritionist stressed that malnutrition affects not only the poor but also some wealthy ones, adding that obesity is part of the effects of the malnutrition.
“Whenever we talk about malnutrition, the only thing that comes to the mind is that it is for the poor uneducated rural people who have less to eat. But malnutrition also includes eating wrong food or unbalanced diet. It is about lack of knowledge of the food we eat and not lack of food,” he said.
Wagt said that the chief cause of malnutrition is lack of exclusive breast feeding of the child in the first six months of his birth, insisting that breast milk is made strictly for the babies and they must not be denied of it.
For him, children that are not well-fed and properly cared for usually experience stunted growth, over weight, micro nutrient deficiency and are generally prone to life threatening diseases.
Other speakers at the workshop, including. Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Coordinator of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Chido Onuma called on the media to be in the forefront for advocacy on behavioural change amongst Nigeria to reverse the trend.
Though, UNICEF announced that through its numerous interventions, about 208,000 lives of mal-nourished children have been saved in the last 12 months, the speakers stressed the need for more financial assistance from donor agencies to increase the number of those it could save from the dangerous effect of malnutrition to one million per annum.
The speakers stressed the importance of people regularly going for de-worming and for them to observe behavioural change as well as take other positive measures to stem the tide of death from malnutrition.
They appealed to media organisations to join in the crusade against malnutrition so that more lives could be saved and to bring a new way of dieting to ensure proper nutrition into the lives of Nigerians.
The workshop, which drew no fewer than 50 journalists, including online publishers, editors, senior correspondents from newspapers, television and radio stations, ends tomorrow, Thursday.
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Facts On Plaintain Plus Amazing Health Benefits
As in bananas, plantain too belong to the Musaceae family. In the nature, it was thought to have developed by hybridization of two wild species of Muscaceae, Musa acuminata Colla (AA) and M. balbsiana Colla (BB), and consist of chromosomal triploid AAB genome.
Plantain is quite different from dessert banana, being taller and larger and more drought tolerant. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. Like bananas, it too flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands.
At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up along its smooth, elongated, un-branched stem, piercing through the center of pseudo-stem, finally emerging out at the top in between its leafy clusters. The flower eventually develops into bunch, consisting of 3 to 20 hands, with each bunch holding at least 5-10 fingers (fruits).
Raw green plantains can only eaten after cooking. Each fruit measures about 3 to 10 inches or more in length depending upon the cultivar type. They tend to have coarser external features with prominent edges and flat surfaces unlike smooth, rounded contour of dessert bananas. The flesh inside is rich in starch, with tiny edible black seeds concentrated at its core. Ripening process, however, enhances flavor and sweetness since much of its starch converts to sugar, similar to as in the case of fruit bananas but to a lesser extent.
Plantain flower (inflorescence) as well as its interior stem (true-stem) too are eaten in various kinds of recipes in South-Asian and African regions.
Plantain relatively has more calories weight for weight than that in the table bananas. 100 g plantain holds about 122 calories, while dessert banana has only 89 calories. Indeed, they are very reliable sources of starch and energy; ensuring food security for millions of inhabitants worldwide.
It contains 2.3 g of dietary fiber per 100 g (6% of DRA per 100 g). Adequate amount of dietary-fiber in the food helps normal bowel movements, thereby reducing constipation problems.
Fresh plátanos have more vitamin C than bananas. 100 g provide 18.4 mg or 31% of daily required levels of this vitamin. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. However, boiling and cooking destroys much of this vitamin in plantains.
Plantains carry more vitamin A than bananas. 100 g fresh ripe plantains contain 1127 IU or 37.5% of daily required levels of this vitamin. Besides being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin A plays a vital role in the visual cycle, maintaining healthy mucus membranes, and enhancing skin complexion.
As in bananas, they too are rich sources of B-complex vitamins, particularly high in vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine). Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role in the treatment of neuritis, anemia, and to decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors for coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels in the body. In addition, the fruit contains moderate levels of folates, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin.
They also provide adequate levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorous. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well.
Fresh plantains have more potassium than bananas. 100 g fruit provides 499 mg of potassium (358 mg per 100 g for bananas). Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering negative effects of sodium.
Why Aloe Vera Is Excellent For The Skin
Since then, its uses have become more targeted and medicinal, and it's one of the leading therapies for sunburns.
Aloe vera
is a cactus plant that belongs to the Liliaceae family. It grows in dry
climates such as those found in parts of Africa and India and has been
used medicinally for centuries.
Aloe leaves
secrete a clear gel that when broken off from the rest of the plant that
can be applied topically to heal wounds and soothe skin.
Various
studies have been conducted to examine the benefits of the aloe vera
plant and it was found out that aloe vera does in fact have several
properties that are effective in treating a variety of skin conditions,
from flaky or dry skin, cosmetic ailments, hair and scalp problems to
many more.
It is also said to be useful in
treating wounds and burns, minor skin infections, cysts, diabetes, and
elevated blood lipids in humans, and shows some promise in treating more
serious and persistent conditions such as eczema, genital herpes,
dandruff, psoriasis, canker sores, skin ulcers and others, according to
the Mayo Clinic.
It treats sunburn.
Aloe
Vera helps with sunburn through its powerful healing activity at the
epithelial level of the skin, a layer of cells that cover the body. It
acts as a protective layer on the skin and helps replenish its moisture.
Because of its nutritional qualities and antioxidant properties, the
skin heals quicker.
It acts as a moisturizer.
Aloe
moisturizes the skin without giving it a greasy feel, so it`s perfect
for anyone with an oily skin complexion. For women who use mineral-based
make-up, aloe vera acts as a moisturizer and is great for the face
prior to the application to prevents skin drying. For men: Aloe vera gel
can be used as an aftershave treatment as its healing properties can
treat small cuts caused by shaving.
It treats acne.
Aloe
vera gel contains two hormones: Auxin and Gibberellins. These two
hormones provide wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties that
reduce skin inflammation. Giberellin in aloe vera acts as a growth
hormone stimulating the growth of new cells. It allows the skin to heal
quickly and naturally with minimal scarring.
Aloe
is soothing and can reduce skin inflammations, blistering and
itchiness, while helping the skin to heal more rapidly. Additionally, in
Ayurvedic medicine, Aloe is used to effectively heal chronic skin problems, such as psoriasis, acne and eczema.
It fights aging.
As
we age, everyone begins to worry about the appearance of fine lines and
the loss of elasticity in their skin. Aloe leaves contain a plethora of
antioxidants including, beta carotene, vitamin C and E that can help
improve the skin's natural firmness and keep the skin hydrated.
It lessens the visibility of stretch marks.
The
skin is like one big piece of elastic that’ll expand and contract as
needed to accommodate growth. But if the skin stretches too far, too
fast (due to pregnancy, rapid weight gain or loss) the elasticity of the
skin can be damaged. That’s what leaves those unsightly stretch marks.
These marks appear due to minor tears in the layers of the skin caused
by sudden and excessive stretching. Aloe vera gel can help hide these
stretch marks by healing these wounds.
It's nutrient rich for good health.
This
solid material contains over 75 different nutrients including vitamins,
minerals, enzymes, sugars, anthraquinones or phenolic compounds,
lignin, saponins, sterols, amino acids and salicylic acid.
It soothes in periodontal disease.
According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology,
it's extremely helpful in the treatment of gum diseases like
gingivitis, periodontitis. It reduces bleeding, inflammation and
swelling of the gums. It is a powerful antiseptic in pockets where
normal cleaning is difficult, and its antifungal properties help greatly
in the problem of denture stomatitis, apthous ulcers, cracked and split
corners of the mouth.
How Harmful Are Microtoxins In Plants To Human And Animal Health?
Most Africans, especially Nigerians, belong to the lower rung of the society. These often buy there agricultural foods in market that are not well standardized thereby leading to the fear of contracting harmful toxins from crops.
Mycotoxins are chemicals produced by fungi that are harmful to humans and domestic animals. These chemicals may contaminate staple foods and feeds worldwide, posing a number of significant food safety concerns. Mycotoxins may be fatal or cause severe illness at very small concentrations, often measured in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). There may be thousands of mycotoxins on the planet earth, but only a small fraction of these toxic chemicals have the potential to cause plant and animal diseases. In nature, mycotoxins may act to disable host defense responses or to defend the fungus against other microorganisms.
The study of mycotoxins, known as mycotoxicology, began in 1960 on a farm in England. Over 100,000 young turkeys died from 'Turkey-X disease' after eating a peanut meal that was contaminated with aflatoxins—a then new group of mycotoxins produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus. In the years since this massive fatality, other important mycotoxins including ergot alkaloids, fumonisins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, and zearalenone have been discovered and described, many the result of other devastating intoxications.
Oil Pollution: Otuoke Community Cries Out For Water
Barely three months after leaving office as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and his kinsmen in Otuoke community now face serious health implications from lack of portable water.
Elijah Ateki, the Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa, has bemoaned the scarcity of potable water in the area.
Ateki said in Otuoke yesterday that lack of drinking water was the major problem in the community.
According to him, the situation is due to the pollution of rivers in the area by oil spilage.
He
said the community had suffered inadequate potable water over the
years, and urged the State and Federal Governments to provide the people
with potable water.
'Otuoke community depends on
rivers and now that all the rivers are polluted by oil, it is difficult
for us to get potable water here,' Ateki said.
Emmanuel Agede,
a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the
area, expressed dissatisfaction with the situation and called for
government’s intervention.
'You will not believe
it that here in Otuoke, we use water from an unused suck-away pit dug
near our lodge, for washing clothes and bathing.
'For
cooking and drinking, we buy sachet water; life is very difficult here;
we spend the bulk of our monthly allowances on water for survival.'
Natural Injectable Skin Lightening Solutions: The New Alternative To Bleaching Creams
A more natural therapy of lightening the skin is gradually establishing itself. The beauty of this advanced natural therapy is that it not only lightens the skin naturally from the inside, it also helps to cure some skin related diseases. The Intravenous Glutathione Skin Whitening Treatment can lighten your skin evenly. Glutathione is administered via IV and is able to deposit evenly throughout the body. Glutathione will swop up the oxidative damaged cells (which cause skin to darken) and lighten your skin naturally, safely, evenly and in a healthy manner.
Glutathione is advertised heavily by naturopaths as a panacea for many conditions. Flourish Natural Medicine in Portland claims:
It’s the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent disease — yet you’ve probably never heard of it. It’s the secret to prevent aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia and more, and necessary to treat everything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease. There are more than 89,000 medical articles about it — but your doctor doesn’t know how address the epidemic deficiency of this critical life-giving molecule. What is it? It is about the mother of all antioxidants, the master detoxifier and maestro of the immune system: GLUTATHIONE
Skin lightening has a controversial background. Ideas equating skin lightness with desirability, beauty and even class/caste are prevalent in some cultures. Shadeism (or colorism) is a term used to describe discrimination based on skin tone within a community, with lightness being perceived as more desirable. The marketing of skin lightening products is widespread, as is their use. Worldwide, this is a billion-dollar industry, one with a lot of critics. The official reaction to the naturopath’s advertisement was quick:
Glutathione is an antioxidant that is naturally synthesized in the body. It is involved with numerous biochemical pathways and may have some role in different diseases, but there is a lack of robust evidence linking supplementation to changes in health outcomes. In spite of this, glutathione seems to be a darling of the alternative medicine industry. Dr. Oz calls glutathione “the superhero of antioxidants.” Mark Hyman calls it “the mother of all antioxidants.” Importantly, while glutathione is also found in food, dietary consumption doesn’t appear to relate to blood levels, suggesting that oral supplementation may not be that effective. And given our bodies synthesize glutathione, the relationship between supplementation, blood levels and disease is not established.
There have been preliminary studies of glutathione for a number of uses, such as Parkinson’s disease. The best scientific evidence for infusions seems to be for its possible use to reduce the side-effects of cancer therapy.
When it comes to skin whitening, glutathione may have anti-melanogenic effects. There have been some studies conducted on the oral version and on a topical lotion. The trials have been small but generally positive...
(To Be Continued)
Unhealthy Skin Care Practices To Beware Of
Nowadays, they no longer call it bleaching. They call it "Toning" or "Lightening"; but whatever nomenclature you chose to describe it, it is still the same thing. Non-prescription creams that claim to bleach or lighten your skin can be harmful.
A survey recently carried out by expert dermatologists believe lightening creams are completely unsafe, and 80% feel they are only safe when prescribed by a dermatologist.
There are prescription-only lightening creams, which must be used under the supervision of a doctor. A lightening cream obtained without prescription – for example, bought in a shop – may contain banned substances and be on sale illegally. People who use these illegally sold creams might not realise the harm they can cause.
Hermione Lawsone of the British Skin Foundation says: "Unfortunately, many skin-lightening creams contain illegal compounds that can damage your health. The most common compounds are high-dose steroids."
Some creams also contain hydroquinone, a bleaching agent banned from use in cosmetics but can be prescribed by doctors for medical reasons.
The damaging effects of these products are taken seriously by the law. In November 2012, a man pleaded guilty to possessing skin-lightening creams for supply, as well as prescription-only medications. The skin-lightening creams contained hydroquinone. The man was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,375.
Although steroids can be useful in treating some skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema, this must take place under the supervision of a skin specialist.
"Unmonitored use of high-dose steroids can lead to many problems," says Lawson, a specialist in the field of Dermatology "Patients are often very distressed by the results of skin-lightening creams."
Skin-lightening creams can cause:
- permanent skin bleaching
- thinning of skin
- uneven colour loss, leading to a blotchy appearance
- redness
- intense irritation
"Medically approved preparations prescribed by a GP or a dermatologist are not dangerous, within reason," says Lawson.
A cream that you buy over the counter is not necessarily medically approved and could permanently damage your skin.
Depigmentation, a medical treatment that lightens or fades skin, is sometimes used in the treatment of vitiligo (a condition that causes pale patches on the skin).
This treatment uses prescription medication and needs medical supervision. It's not suitable for everybody.
Stroke, Cancer, Diabetes, Blood Pressure And Others Can Be Lowered With A Daily Intake Of Oranges - Research
Possible health benefits of consuming oranges
Stroke: According to the American Heart Association, eating higher amounts of a compound found in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit may lower ischemic stroke risk for women. Those who ate the highest amounts of citrus had a 19 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least.Blood pressure: Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, fewer than 2 percent of US adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation.
Also of note, a high potassium intake is associated with a 20 percent decreased risk of dying from all causes.
Cancer: According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, consuming bananas, oranges and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia.
As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C, oranges can also help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. While an adequate vitamin C intake is necessary and very beneficial as an antioxidant, the amount necessary to consume for therapeutic purposes for cancer is beyond oral intake. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.
Heart health: The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and choline content in oranges all support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, M.D, M.S, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St. Thomas Hospital in Tennessee.
In one study, those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49 percent lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (about 1000 mg per day).
High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.
Diabetes: Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels. One medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 21-25 g/day for women and 30-38 g/day for men.
Skin: The antioxidant vitamin C, when eaten in its natural form (as in an orange) or applied topically, can help to fight skin damage caused by the sun and pollution, reduce wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Vitamin C plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, the support system of your skin.
Is It Healthy To Include Raw Tomatoes In Your Diet?
Raw tomatoes can be a contentious food item when used raw. While
some people adore their natural sweetness and use them on everything
from sandwiches, suya to casseroles to pizzas, others dislike their relatively
slimy texture and acidic nature. Whether you love or hate them,
however, raw tomatoes provide essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients
that can deliver a number of profound health benefits.
Raw tomatoes naturally contain an assortment of
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that have the potential to guard
against serious diseases. Eating more tomatoes and vegetables in general
can help prevent conditions including bone loss, cancer, diabetes,
kidney stones, stroke, heart attack and obesity. In an article for the
“American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine,” Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman
observes that raw tomatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and that
they might even help prevent cognitive dysfunction. Tomatoes might have
particular benefits for men. The American Dietetic Association
encourages men to eat tomatoes at least once a week because the lycopene
present in them promotes prostate health.
The tomato’s positive health properties are a
result of the antioxidants and beneficial compounds found in the food. it is noted that the main antioxidant in tomatoes is lycopene, which
neutralizes harmful free radicals that can damage cells in the body.
Tomatoes also contain beta-carotene, folic acid, and vitamins A, C and
E. Additionally, tomatoes have exceptionally low energy density, which
means a large serving size delivers only a small amount of calories and
fat. According to the USDA, a cup of sliced tomatoes has just 30
calories and less than 0.5 g fat.
