“Food fortification can help increase the nutritional value of culinary delights, as a result it has a number of benefits. Starting according to being useful for pregnant women to helping meet crucial nutritional intake.”
January 25 every year is celebrated as National Nutrition Day in Indonesia. This celebration has an important meaning in raising people’s awareness of the importance of fulfilling balanced nutrition.
Even though National Nutrition Day is celebrated every year, in fact it is believed that the nutritional requirements for children in Indonesia are still not optimal. According to a national online media error, currently Indonesia is still experiencing a triple burden of malnutrition or malnutrition.
The three loads are wasting, overweight, & stunting. To improve the nutritional problem, the government is fortifying a number of foods in Indonesia. So, in order to understand it better, it is important to know what food fortification is and what health benefits it has.
Explanation Regarding Food Fortification
In general, food fortification is the act of enriching food using the nutrients added to it. This can help increase the nutritional value of the culinary as a result it is more useful for health. Fortified foods are usually added with vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients that are needed for many body functions. This is because the body cannot make its own micronutrients and must come from the healthy foods consumed.
Fortified food manufacturers generally add micronutrients to their products during production. They form chemicals that contain vitamins and minerals. These chemicals have no real taste, texture, or smell when added to food. Some foods naturally have certain micronutrients but are lost when cooked or stored.
Launching the official hapage of Sehat Negeriku, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, the fortification that is being carried out is by adding several micronutrients to cooking oil. Start with iron in wheat flour, iodine in salt, and vitamin A.
Benefits of Food Fortification for Health
Because fortified foods contain additional micronutrients, here are some of the health benefits:
Beneficial for Pregnant Women
The first benefit of food fortification is that it is useful for pregnant women. This is because pregnant women need more food than usual because they are carrying a developing baby. Even though they have eaten more, a pregnant woman may still not receive enough vitamins. Well, enriched culinary can fill that gap. For example, folic acid is added to many fortified food products. Getting relative folic acid in the diet during pregnancy has been shown to reduce the risk of birth stigma.
Protecting Elderly Health
As we age, the human body will only absorb less vitamins & minerals. Fortified foods are thought to help maintain healthy levels of micronutrients to keep bones strong, aid digestion, and prevent heart problems.
Supporting Child Development
It has been reported that children are at a higher risk of malnutrition than adults. As a result, their bodies need sufficient vitamins and minerals to support growth. Well, fortified foods are known to help meet and increase children’s nutritional intake, in addition to a balanced diet.
Helps Meet Important Nutritional Intake
For some people, some essential nutrients are only available in animal or food products which can cause an allergic reaction. Fortified foods can help someone with certain allergies to always meet the nutritional intake they need. For example, when a person has lactose intolerance, he cannot receive calcium from milk. However, people with lactose intolerance can meet their calcium needs from fortified cereals.
That is the explanation about food fortification & its benefits. If you still have questions about nutrition or have health complaints, contact your doctor immediately.