Practices Which Will Enhance the Success of Food-based Approaches

Reference from the joint report of FAO/WHO expert consultation on Human Vitamins and Minerals verbatim. (Chapter 2)

5. WHO. Trace Elements in Human Nutrition. 1996 a., World Health Organization, Geneva.

To achieve dietary adequacy of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, iron, and zinc by using food based approaches, food preparation and dietary practices must be considered. 

For example, it is important to recommend that vegetables rich in vitamin C, folate, and other water-soluble or heat-labile vitamins be minimally cooked in small amounts of water. For iron bio-availability it is essential to reduce the intake of inhibitors of iron absorption and to increase the intake of enhancers of absorption in a given meal.

Following this strategy, it is recommended to increase the intake of: germinated seeds, fermented cereals, heat-processed cereals, meats, and fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and to encourage the consumption of tea, coffee, chocolate, or herbal teas at times other than with meals (see Chapter 13 and Chapter 16). Consumption of flesh foods improves zinc absorption whereas it is inhibited by consumption of diets high in phytate, such as diets based on unrefined cereal. Zinc availability can be estimated according to the phytate-to-zinc (molar) ratio of the meal (5).

This advice is particularly important for people who consume cereal and tuber-based diets. These foods constitute the main staples for most populations of the world, populations that are also most at risk for micronutrient deficiencies. Other alternatives – fortification and supplementation – have been proposed as stopgap measures when food-based approaches are not feasible or are still in progress. 

There is a definite role for fortification in meeting iron, folate, iodine, and zinc needs. Fortification and supplementation should be seen as complementary to food-based strategies and not as a replacement. Combined, all these strategies can go a long way toward stabilising the micronutrient status of populations at risk. Food-based approaches usually take longer to implement but once established are truly sustainable.