Opeyemi Esther Alabi is a food scientist and founder of Emerald Innofoods Concepts aimed at sensitising the public on the science of food and its impact on health. With her individual and group trainings directed towards promoting healthy eating habits, she is poised to ensure that more people embrace healthy eating lifestyle. Alabi particularly has strong interest in dry food business as it contributes to food preservation and availability all the year round. After undergoing her second masters as a VLIR scholar under IUPFOOD (The InterUniversity Programme in Food Technology) at KU Leuven and Ghent University in Belgium, she thinks a lot needs to be put in place considering the food system and policy in Nigeria. In this interview with OLUCHI OGBONNAYA, she shares her passion for eating healthy as well as turning it into a business.
Tell us what eating healthy means to you?
Simply, eating healthily means eating balanced diet. Eating balanced diet basically entails that one eats wide variety of foods in the right proportion with the goal to achieve and maintain a healthy life (and body weight). Daily, we need all the food nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. They are essential nutrients needed for supporting survival, maintaining life, promoting health, stimulating growth and development. A balanced diet typically consist of 40 per cent fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, banana, oranges, leafy vegetables such as spinach, amaranth and many other local vegetables; 25 per cent proteinous foods such as milk, fish, egg, nuts, lentils; 25 per cent fibre-rich carbohydrates such as whole grains, that is unrefined grains, an example is our local rice, whole wheat pasta,
whole wheat bread, potato. Then 10 per cent fat which should come from unsaturated oils from plant sources. A good and healthy option is extra virgin olive oil.
Describe a healthy meal for the average Nigerian?
A healthy meal for an average Nigerian is a meal made of varieties in the right proportion. In Nigeria, we eat a lot of high energy density food and this has contributed to obesity of a good percentage of the population. Our staples are mainly starchy foods such as amala, eba, fufu, pounded yam, cassava, yam, rice and tuwo. These foods shoot up our caloric intake beyond the normal amount needed for an adult per day which is 2000kcal for women and 2500kcal for men. As such, excess calorie is then stored either as subcutaneous fat or visceral fat which has unpleasant health implications. Generally, foods that are high in fibre or water have lower energy density. Nigerians should choose foods that are lower in fat/sugar and increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and proteinous foods. Ultimately, the goal should be that Nigerians consistently choose varieties of foods from food groups in right proportion. This will help the body get wide range of nutrients to stay healthy.
Can I really enjoy a healthy meal as it mainly veggies? How do we make the plate inviting?
Balance and healthy food requirements cannot be replaced solely by veggies. All essential nutrients -fibre-rich carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water are needed by the body for survival and health promotion. There are ideals when we talk about anthropometric measurements of muscle, bone and adipose tissue when assessing composition of the human body. The weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference and skin fold thickness are usually used to check for stunting, and underweight in children and body mass index for adults. We must avoid extremes of underweight or overweight. We can achieve healthy weight and life by sticking to varieties of food in right proportion. We can make our plate fascinating by including in our meals coloured whole fruits and vegetable which should take about half the plate plus other varieties of whole grains and learning how to use natural spices to achieve appealing aroma and taste.
We have heard you say that diabetes can be cured by eating healthy?
Yes, diabetes has a cure. It can be cured by intensive dietary management and physical activity. I am talking of type 2 diabetes which is characterised by insulin resistance leading to high blood sugar. The two causes of diabetes are obesity and sedentary lifestyle (lack of exercise). If diabetic patients can work on their weight by eating right and in right proportion and exercising daily (minimum 30minutes), they will never need insulin to survive. The cure for diabetes is not regular insulin injection but consistent healthy eating and healthy lifestyle.
Is it ever late to eat healthier meals?
No, it is never late to start eating healthy. However, the time to start is now. You stand the chance to gain a lot by eating healthy because your present and future health is guaranteed. Many Nigerians will wait till they have deficiencies as obesity and chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cancer before embracing healthier eating habits and lifestyle. We don’t need to wait till issues come up before we start eating healthily. Prevention, they say, is better than cure.
