Nutrition council stresses importance of vegetables in diets

By Alex Romeo R. Fernandez

Tuesday 3rd of July 2012

DAGUPAN CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- The National Nutrition Council (NNC) today underscored the importance of integrating vegetables in the everyday diet of Filipinos, noting that the public’s consumption of vegetables has been reduced lately.

Myrna C. Cabotaje of the Regional Nutrition Council for Region 1 stressed this point during the launch of the National Nutrition Month at Lucao Elementary School in Brgy. Lucao on Monday.

She noted the diminishing consumption of vegetables is due to their increasing prices or their unavailability in some areas.

She advised health workers, barangay officials and school officials who were present during the launching to advocate backyard gardening to address this.

“Households should have vegetable gardens in their backyards, so that vegetable are always present during meals,” she said.

Meanwhile, School Superintendent Alma Ruby C. Torio cited the Department of Education’s Gulayan sa Barangay is being conducted specifically for that.

Referring to the Nutrition Month’s theme “Pagkain ng Gulay Ugaliin, Araw-Araw Itong Ihain,” Cabotaje advised the public to consume at least five servings of vegetables every day.

Vegetables contain fibers to remove toxins from the body and micronutrients that are essential to but cannot be directly produced by the body, she said.

City Nutrition Officer Leah L. Aquino said mere consumption of vegetables can prevent or reverse the effects of certain diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and anemia.

To help in the advocacy, the Department of Agriculture donated assorted seeds to the school and will distribute more seeds to all the 35 schools in the city.

Guest city officials, vice mayor Belen T. Fernandez and councilor Brian C. Lim took part in the ceremonial vegetable planting activity in the school campus during the latter half of the launching ceremonies. (ANL/ARRF-PIA 1 Pangasinan)