U.S.Crusade | RaceandHistory | RastaTimes | HowComYouCom | News Links | Trini Soca | Africa Speaks
Trinicenter.com Trinicenter.com Trinidad and Tobago News
Online Forums
Create an AccountHome | Account | World News  

International Watch
  • Home
  • AvantGo
  • Feedback
  • Search
  • Stories Archive
  • Submit News

  • Categories
  • Africa Focus
  • Arab Spring
  • Audio & Video
  • Book Review
  • Caribbean
  • Inside U.S.A.
  • Invasion of Iraq
  • Israel-Palestine
  • Latin America
  • Medical
  • Pakistan
  • Pandora's Box
  • Racism Watch
  • Satire
  • US War on Iran
  • US War on N Korea
  • War and Terror
  • War on Russia
  • War on Syria
  • World Focus
  • Zimbabwe

  • Old Articles
    Friday, February 08
    ·
    Wednesday, February 06
    ·
    Tuesday, February 05
    · Savage Capitalism or Socialism: A Conversation with Luis Britto Garcia
    Sunday, February 03
    · Canada vs. Venezuela: The Background Gets Even Murkier
    Thursday, January 31
    ·
    Monday, January 28
    · The History - and Hypocrisy - of US Meddling in Venezuela
    · Canada Is Complicit in Venezuela's US-Backed Coup D'état
    Wednesday, September 26
    · Why Israel Demolishes: Khan Al-Ahmar as Representation of Greater Genocide
    Friday, September 21
    · US Disregard for International Law Is a Menace to Latin America
    Saturday, August 25
    · How Long is the Shelf-Life of Damnable Racist Capitalist Lies?
    Thursday, August 09
    · Martial Law By Other Means: Corporate Strangulation of Dissent
    Wednesday, August 08
    · North Korea and The Washington Trap
    · Venezuela Assassination Attempt: Maduro Survives but Journalism Doesn't
    Sunday, May 20
    · The British Royal Wedding, Feelgoodism and the Colonial Jumbie
    Friday, May 04
    ·
    Monday, April 09
    · The Bayer-Monsanto Merger Is Bad News for the Planet
    Tuesday, March 20
    · Finally, Some Good News
    Thursday, March 15
    · Zimbabwe Open for Business, Code for International Finance Capitalism
    Friday, January 12
    · Shadow Armies: The Unseen, But Real US War In Africa
    Wednesday, December 13
    · The U.S. is Not a Democracy, It Never Was

    Older Articles

    Features

    Sudan''s Crisis

    Zimbabwe: Land Reform and Mugabe

    U.S Coup in Haiti

    Venezuela and Chavez


      
    Latin America: Food in Venezuela is Now Guaranteed
    Posted on Thursday, July 14 @ 17:30:53 UTC
    Topic: Venezuela
    VenezuelaBy Venezuela International - MinCI
    July 14, 2011


    Nowadays, Venezuelans not only have a variety of foods at a low cost compared to what their salaries could afford 12 years ago, but they now are accessing more nutritious foods which allows them to consume the minimum amount of calories for a person in a healthy way.

    In order to compare the nutrition conditions that existed twelve years ago, we source a study carried out by specialist Elisa Quintana from the Institute of Nutrition and Dietetics of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) and published in 2001 in a specialized magazine. In this study, Mrs. Quintana evaluated the consumption of legumes over a five decade period (from 1945 to 1997).

    The research concludes that Venezuelans consumed 42 % less legumes during that period, with a significant decline from 1966 on. Legumes in Venezuela include different kinds of beans and peas. The minimum consumption touched a rock bottom of 31 grams a day during the 90’s. At that time, 55 % of Venezuelans consumed legumes.

    Rise of Legumes Consumption

    The status of legumes consumption, among other foods, had a drastic change in the last twelve years.

    Until 1992, the consumption peak was below 35%. After the establishment of the Bolivarian Government and its first measures taken in the agricultural area, it was possible to keep that status. According to figures provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), daily legumes consumption started increasing progressively and reached a total of 42.34 grams per capita in the second semester of 2010.

    This represents an increase of 8.34 grams per person per day (24.52 %). Additionally, the consumption of black beans has been progressively replaced with other types of legumes, balancing the nutritional value given by other products such as lentils. They have become the new main element in Venezuelans’ diet and reached the status of black beans with a 53 % increase from 2008 to 2010.

    Keeping a Healthy and Balanced Diet

    Although it is a temptation for some, the consumption of flours and fats predominate in Venezuelan’s meals, though they are the least healthy of foods. Thanks to the policies of the National Institute of Nutrition (INN) over the last 12 years, it has been possible to eliminate the so-called food guide clover which was valid until 1993 and did not contribute positively to the Venezuelan’s diet.

    With the design of the “Trompo de los Alimentos” (Spinning Top of the Foods) [See Image at RIGHT], a new way to classify basic food groups was implemented, using this traditional Venezuelan toy. In this new distribution, legumes are given a more important position along with other products.

    The Spinning Top is easy to understand and families, schools, people’s cafeterias and all organizations involved in nutrition use it as reference. This system combines each of the food groups and the result is an assorted and balanced food guide. Water consumption and physical activity are included in the spinning top guide as key aspects of achieving excellent health.

    In order to have a healthy nutrition that suits the nutritional recommendations for the Venezuelan population, the INN classified foods into groups according to their nutritional value and each of them was given a distinctive color.

    Grains, cereals, tubers and legumes are identified in yellow; vegetables and fruits in green; milk, meat and eggs in blue; sugars in gray; fats and vegetable oils in orange and as a complement, the rope of the spinning top represents water and the physical activity which ensures a better quality of life.

    The way in which foods are organized in the spinning top is intended to guide the population with respect to a proper and balanced intake of foods. That is to say, is provides a guide for the body to achieve all the nutritional components to improve growth, development and health.

    Research shows that Venezuelan families now have more access to products such as chicken, bologna, ham, eggs, beef liver, pork, aside from the usual consumption of beef.

    Regarding fish, the consumption of sardines increased (both fresh and canned), as did the consumption of tuna. Milk and dairy products are also more frequent in Venezuelan’s diet, while visible fats (butter and mayonnaise) decreasing. Butter, in particular, had a 4% reduction in its consumption in Venezuelan homes.

    Wholesale markets were the main source to buy non-processed foods 12 years ago, followed by the sporadic municipal and people’s markets, and the famous vegetable trucks which offer their products as they drive around the streets.

    The big private chains strategically offered processed products as the first option to consumers, leaving unsanitary spaces for the food groups that are considered important nowadays.

    Thanks to the creation of the PDVAL and Mercal Network the conditions to acquire foods has changed. Despite the problems caused by a few corrupt administrators and the usual attacks against government-backed social programs, the Bolivarian Revolution is at the vanguard of national efforts to achieve food security and sovereignty by dedicating an exclusive program for sovereign production and sale of the necessary foods.

    The network has allowed Venezuelans to acquire the necessary foods for a balanced diet in a cheaper and easier way. The figures provided by the INE regarding the first trimester of 2010 have shown that more than 6,200,000 people buy in the Mercal Network and only around 2,700,000 still endure the old torture of buying in private chains.

    Edited by Venezuelanalysis.com

    Source: Venenezuela International

     
    Related Links
    · More about Venezuela
    · News by admin


    Most read story about Venezuela:
    Venezuela's future society will be neither capitalist nor socialist


    Article Rating
    Average Score: 0
    Votes: 0

    Please take a second and vote for this article:

    Excellent
    Very Good
    Good
    Regular
    Bad


    Options

     Printer Friendly Printer Friendly



    Homepage | Trinidad News | Africa Speaks | U.S.Crusade | Fair Use Notice


    Copyright © 2002-2014 Trinicenter.com
    Trinicenter.com is a 100% non-profit Website
    You can syndicate our news using the file backend.php or ultramode.txt
    All logos, trademarks, articles and comments are property of their respective owners.
    PHP-Nuke Copyright © 2004 by Francisco Burzi. This is free software, and you may redistribute it under the GPL.
    PHP-Nuke comes with absolutely no warranty, for details, see the license.
    Page Generation: 0.21 Seconds