This is the time for everyone to adopt good eating practices, Minister for Health Veena George has said. Our body, health, and the diseases around us are a reminder of this, she said.
She was speaking after inaugurating an exhibition and contest in making millet food products and a one-day seminar organised by the Food Safety department as part of the International Year of Millets observance.
Underlining the need for preventing lifestyle diseases, the Minister called for paying special attention to the food habits of children.
The Minister said the food habits of the State were related to seasons, agriculture festivals, and harvests. Millets were a part of that, and more nutritious than other foods. This was why the United Nations had declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.
Rich in iron
The Food Safety department in the State had been working for inclusion of millets in the diet, she said. Millets were rich in iron, and could help increase haemoglobin levels and improve nutrition. Millets could also bring down cholesterol levels and aid digestion.
ViVa (Vilarchayil ninnu Valarchayilekku) (from anaemia to growth) Kerala had been launched with the goal of anaemia-free Kerala. Though anaemia was the least in the State, the objective was to be completely rid of it. As many as 97,000 people had been screened, and it was found that 1% of them had serious ailments, and 21% could be free of anaemia if they changed their dietary habits, she said.
Ms. George inaugurated the grievance portal of the Food Safety department. Through the portal, complaints can be submitted, check if action was taken, and upload photos and videos of eateries against which there is a complaint.
V.K. Prasanth, MLA, presided. Commissioner of Food Safety Veena N. Madhavan and Food Safety Joint Commissioner M.T. Babichen were present.
