Some nutritionists of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Greater Accra Region have undergone a day-training workshop on the significance of egg consumption to the human body. The workshop which was organized by the Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS) seeks to empower the officers with new knowledge thereby debunking some myths around the consumption of eggs.
Addressing the participants, the National Coordinator of GNECS, Comfort Acheampong, asserted that the nutrition officers are the first point of call at the various facilities regarding issues of Nutrition and that, they must have enough education and information regarding issues of egg consumption and its impact on the human body. Madam Acheampong also revealed that the latest research on the consumption of egg in the country now stands at 115 per capital consumption – thus 115 eggs per person a year, indicating that the massive support the campaign has gained from the GHS since it started.
She however lamented about the rising cost of egg on the market which serves as an impediment to the campaign. She urged all persons to consume an egg or two a day. Madam Acheampong called for concerted effort of all stakeholders in the value chain to work together to make eggs affordable to all.
“Now our problem is the price of the eggs, the price is just taking people away from eating eggs and our campaign is changing its direction to the ‘Eggstra-O Campaign’ because we want people to eat the eggs. Our campaign is to take one egg a day no matter the time, so someone who is taking an egg a day is calculating the 1.50p each day will reduce the intake, however we are still begging them to continue because the cost of getting sick will be more than the daily cost,” she pleaded.
Addressing the media, the lead trainer and Nutritionist, Maribel Asomboya explained that, nutrition officers have encountered many myths regarding the consumption of eggs at their various facilities and therefore the need to educate and train them on the new-knowledge and latest research findings on the usefulness of eggs so they can educate their clients and their communities accordingly.
She said, some of the myths include children becoming thieves when pregnant mum consumes egg and that eggs increases the cholesterol of the consumer. She insisted that these statements about egg are untrue and that egg contains very important nutrients that helps in body building and its consumption must be encouraged by all.
“One of the negative theories that have been going round is that, eggs contain a lot of cholesterol and will elevate your cholesterol, but from the training and other scientific researches have proven that dietary cholesterol doesn’t amount to blood cholesterol. However sedentary lifestyles account for high cholesterol not eggs,” she noted.
Some of the participants who spoke with GhanaNews.TV expressed their gratitude to GNECS and the Ghana Health Service for the workshop and opined that, they are enlightened greatly on the consumption of eggs. They gave the assurance that, they will go back to their communities and Clients to refute some of the misinformation on eggs and encourage individuals young and old to eat at least one egg a day.
By Derick Botsyoe || GhanaNews.TV