Nigerians have been urged to refrain from consuming an excessive amount of seasoning cubes as it poses health risks. Hajia Jemila Adamu, a dietician and Principal Agriculture Officer from the Home Economics Division of the Kwara Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized this during a media briefing in Ilorin.

The press conference, attended by stakeholders from various districts, aimed to educate the public on malnutrition, dietary practices, and local recipe options.

According to the dietician, “Many people rely too much on seasoning cubes to garnish their meals, which may have negative consequences on their health.

“For a healthy living, you can make use of locust beans, ginger, and garlic to supplement seasoning cubes.

“Our grandmothers then will rather add just one cube or half and their soup will taste nice and they live longer because they don’t eat the junk we consume in this present generation.”

Adamu additional condemned excessive consumption of snacks and advised the public to instead, eat quality breakfast and take their lunch to work.

“Maintain a dietary habit by eating quality foods rather than relying on street snacks daily,” she advised.

The expert encouraged the public to embrace home gardening as a way to produce fresh foods and support healthy meals at home, which can also help save money.

She suggested that individuals can grow a variety of vegetables like okra, tomatoes, pepper, and spinach in their backyard gardens, which can contribute to a balanced family diet.

Additionally, she highlighted that Kwara state is endowed with a diverse range of nutritious foods, including rice, millet, potatoes, sorghum, cassava, groundnuts, fish, and yams, among others.

“These food items should form part of our daily meals and a healthy and nutritious well-being.

“Parents should also create time to cook for their family, rather than buying junk foods to feed their children.

“Provide foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, fat, carbohydrates, water, and other food items for a balanced diet for your children,” she further advised.

Adamu praised the Kwara government for providing fertilizers to farmers, boosting food production.

Dr. Habbeb Lawal, Project Manager of the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria project, urged parents to protect their children from stunted growth by adopting optimal breastfeeding practices.

He advised mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children, avoiding substitutes and formula, as breastfeeding ensures proper nutrition and cognitive development.

Lawal advocated for a collaborative approach to combating malnutrition, emphasizing the need for stakeholders to join the campaign.

He attributed the rising malnutrition rates to a lack of awareness and information among parents and caregivers.

“We need to communicate and create the needed awareness among parents and caregivers in both urban and rural areas on the importance of proper feeding and balanced diet,” he stated