Health
Nutritionists discourage roadside eating
Roadside restaurants as they are commonly called by Cameroonians, are where a good number of persons choose to eat on a daily basis.
“With the present economic hardship, we can’t afford luxurious meals in high class restaurants.
At least at the roadside restaurants we can afford a plate of meal at 500frs,” one of the people we found eating at one of those restaurants says.
“With 300frs I can eat my puff-puff and beans and my stomach is full,” another customer says.
While many of these Cameroonians believe it is all about eating, nutritionists highlight everyone
should thrive to have a balanced diet for good health.
“Imagine you leave your home every morning without eating. Your blood sugar will drop. When there’s no calcium in the baby’s food, the bones will not develop well and strong enough, giving room for deformations,” Cathérine Njite, a dietetician explains.
In order to get a balanced diet, dieteticians and nutritionists advice the population to switch to a
different variety of meals in order to benefit the all nutrients and vitamins.
“It is essential to understand what diet substitution means. That is, I need protein, I can get it
from meat just like in beans. I look for calcium, I cannot only get it from milk which is expensive but also from our okra, cassava leaf and more. So, know the different variety of foods, consume them and you will gain a balanced diet,” Catherine Njite adds.
All these teachings were given during a meeting of dieteticians and nutritionists in Yaounde.
“Everyday we need 41 nutrients by eating variety of meals. By so doing, we will have an experience
of the life lived in Europe plus a long life span,” said Goethe de Mbiatat, a dietetician.
These food scientists encouraged the population to continue consuming eggs, milk, vegetable oils,
fish, vegetables, and fruits regularly in a bid to have a healthy body system
and long life.
