Food and Drug Industry

[Sinjin P.]

RP least consumer of veggies in Asia

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute recently revealed that Filipinos are the lowest in terms of vegetable consumption among Asian countries.

From a nation that used to be the highest vegetable consumer in the 70’s and 80’s, Department of Agriculture region director Eduardo Lecciones said the Philippines is now tailing behind Cambodia and Vietnam.

Lecciones stated data from the FNRI that the annual per capita consumption of Filipinos is 40 kilograms which is far below the recommendation of at least 69 kilograms per capita annual consumption.

He said China has an annual per capita vegetable consumption of 250 kilograms which is the highest in the world.

He said DA is now bent on campaigning for an increase in the vegetable consumption not only for farmers to earn, but for Filipinos to have a healthier diet.

He added that there is a need to strengthen product development that will make vegetable eating a delightful experience.

Like other Asian countries, Lecciones said Filipinos must master the art of vegetable preparation where color and flavor blend to suit the diner’s taste.

He has also encouraged the promotion of indigenous vegetables as a means to address hunger mitigation. These include kangkong, saluyot, camote tops, kulitis, malunggay, alugbati spinach and the like.

Indigenous vegetables have tremendous potentials to address hunger mitigation because they are cheap and available, easy to grow and require less production inputs.

There are also loaded with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients ideal for promoting good nutrition in the rural and urban poor areas.

About 43 major kinds of vegetables are grown in the country and 250 lesser-known species.

The major vegetables are generally grown during the dry season wherein production is ideal to most crops resulting to high supply and low prices.

[jonno]

Originally Posted by Jhaelnis

RP least consumer of veggies in Asia

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute recently revealed that Filipinos are the lowest in terms of vegetable consumption among Asian countries.

From a nation that used to be the highest vegetable consumer in the 70’s and 80’s, Department of Agriculture region director Eduardo Lecciones said the Philippines is now tailing behind Cambodia and Vietnam.

Lecciones stated data from the FNRI that the annual per capita consumption of Filipinos is 40 kilograms which is far below the recommendation of at least 69 kilograms per capita annual consumption.

He said China has an annual per capita vegetable consumption of 250 kilograms which is the highest in the world.

He said DA is now bent on campaigning for an increase in the vegetable consumption not only for farmers to earn, but for Filipinos to have a healthier diet.

He added that there is a need to strengthen product development that will make vegetable eating a delightful experience.

Like other Asian countries, Lecciones said Filipinos must master the art of vegetable preparation where color and flavor blend to suit the diner’s taste.

He has also encouraged the promotion of indigenous vegetables as a means to address hunger mitigation. These include kangkong, saluyot, camote tops, kulitis, malunggay, alugbati spinach and the like.

Indigenous vegetables have tremendous potentials to address hunger mitigation because they are cheap and available, easy to grow and require less production inputs.

There are also loaded with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients ideal for promoting good nutrition in the rural and urban poor areas.

About 43 major kinds of vegetables are grown in the country and 250 lesser-known species.

The major vegetables are generally grown during the dry season wherein production is ideal to most crops resulting to high supply and low prices.

How much would the health cost be of not eating enough vegetables (cancer, high blood, heart attacks, etc.)? Veggies also help in keeping the expenses down as it's cheaper than meat. I guess the stats above shows that there's a grain of truth to what others say that poverty or hunger is not as prevalent in the Philippines as what others want us to believe (just compare our veggie consumption with China). We should also highlight the fact that veggies in the Philippines are relatively "expensive" (maybe one factor why veggie consumption is low). One major reason is lack of adequate infrastructures that would carry fruits and vegetables from the provinces to the cities. That one reason why our government now is giving emphasis on infrastructures.

[waketrex]

I wonder about Philippines consumption of fruits too.

[gen1]

has the dept of agriculture tightened up on inspections to reduce the incidence of formalin soaked veggies? (tnx jonno)

I still come across tomatoes that are firm on the outside but squishy in the inside - telltale signs of formalin soaked tomatoes.

[xednanx]

probably only Ilocanos have a high consumption of veggies

[jonno]

Originally Posted by gen1

has the dept of agriculture tightened up on inspections to reduce the incidence of formalin free veggies?

I still come across tomatoes that are firm on the outside but squishy in the inside - telltale signs of formalin soaked tomatoes.

you mean incidence of formalin soaked? formalin's carcinogenic or cancerous..that's one thing our government should do something about..it's sad we've got a lot of disgusting things happening around when it comes to food, sugar, etc - just watch that show on Saturday nights..gma 7 i think..instead of political investigations...why don't our Senate investigate these sort of things? they're budget's for national anyway and these sort of disgusting things seem to be happening all over the country...

[jonno]

Originally Posted by xednanx

probably only Ilocanos have a high consumption of veggies

good on Ilocanos, we should copy that, the government should instill the attitude with the young ones on elementary..teach them how to cook veggies deliciously and avoid those fatty foods..it's hard to get rid of it once you've develop the taste...i'm sure we could save billions on health related costs..look at Cuba, they've got one of the highest life expectancy in the world despite being a poor country..one reason aside from the free health care is their government's emphasis on the "right" diet..mind you the meat component in their diet is much much lower than the Philippines....we could instantly wipe out malnutrition in this country if people know how to eat more vegetables

[amigo32]

Kagabi napanood ko sa 7, nilalaga/niluluto yung bato galing sa ilog tapos lagyan lang ng konting gulay, asin etc... ayun instant sabaw na. lasang sabaw ng tahong daw. hehehe

[bariQ]

ako di rin ako mahilig sa gulay!!!!! GO MEAT!!! LOL

kaya di ko gusto yung vietnamese food parang kumakain ako ng grass...

[allan_dude]

Gustong gusto ko yung commercial ng Knorr: "makulay ang buhay sa sinabawang gulay!" Very positive! matututo mga bata kumain ng gulay.. kaso lang ang knorr panay MSG.

[jonno]

Originally Posted by amigo32

Kagabi napanood ko sa 7, nilalaga/niluluto yung bato galing sa ilog tapos lagyan lang ng konting gulay, asin etc... ayun instant sabaw na. lasang sabaw ng tahong daw. hehehe

Well what can you expect from our media? If hunger and poverty is really that bad in this country, then why is vegetable consumption here amongst the lowest in Asia?

[jonno]

I wont be surprised if meat consumption in the Philippines is amongst the highest in South East Asia or even Asia. Me for example, I love meat

[OtAkAw]

I personally don't like vegetables especially when it's cooked. When it's in a burger or salad, maybe I would.

Looks like the Nutrition Drives of DOH during the past failed. I could still remember the "Iskargu" Theme Song.

[amigo32]

I only eat meat/fish when I was a kid, pero habang nagkaka-isip at naliwanagan sa health benefits sa pagkain ng gulay, kumakain na. Gusto ko carrots kinakain ng hilaw na parang prutas. hehehe

[kiretoce]

Tofu! Tofu! Tofu!

[smokingunmanila]

I'm a semi vegetarian..and I eat vegetables and tofu if there is availability. For 100 pesos, that is my budget for my meal for 3 days and that is compose of toho ( big tofu) baguio beans and carrots. I just don't know why people can go hungry if you are a wise buyer and nutrition conscious. One egg alone can suffice the protein requirement for a day including calcium. Our body wasn't made to digest so much protein and specially meat. The human anatomy was designed to be a vegetarian....flat teeth, long intestines, etc...I think the humans started eating meat during the ice age, since there wasn't any supply of vegetables and fruits.

We have to eat right to have a proper brain development. Genuises are not born...they are made!

[kiretoce]

In the Biblical view. The "Eden Diet" consisted of only fruits, nuts, and grains. Man was only allowed to eat meat after the Flood. God granted Noah permission to use the "clean" animals as nourishment right after the deluge, since the earth hasn't replenished its vegetation that was wiped out by the waters.

[amigo32]

Originally Posted by smokingunmanila

I'm a semi vegetarian..and I eat vegetables and tofu if there is availability. For 100 pesos, that is my budget for my meal for 3 days and that is compose of toho ( big tofu) baguio beans and carrots. I just don't know why people can go hungry if you are a wise buyer and nutrition conscious. One egg alone can suffice the protein requirement for a day including calcium. Our body wasn't made to digest so much protein and specially meat. The human anatomy was designed to be a vegetarian....flat teeth, long intestines, etc...I think the humans started eating meat during the ice age, since there wasn't any supply of vegetables and fruits.

We have to eat right to have a proper brain development. Genuises are not born...they are made!

natatawa talaga ako sa avatar mo, parang kumikindat pa, matalino/genius ka nga dahil sa gulay pero ganyan ang mukha mo, di bale na lang j/k

[le Reine]

naku, this is alarming... what should we do to entice our countrymen to eat veggies. We need veggies!

[xednanx]

Dapat turuan lahat ng nanay na magluto ng iba't ibang ulam na gulay

kasi masyado tayo mahilig sa Cabalen Food, puro meat, pero masarap

kami mga ilocan pati seaweed kinakain namin

pati mga parang bastos na gulay kinakain namin
tulad ng "kabaTITI" parang upo siya
tapos meron din kami ulam ang tawag "PUKI-PUKI" na gawa sa talong