As Filipinos, we love to eat rice as our main source of carbohydrates and energy. The National Nutrition Council's Tutok Kainan: Dietary Supplementation Program implementation is strictly implementing the consumption of the Iron Fortified Rice to help solve iron deficiency disorder. Iron deficiency has been known to affect individuals most especially young children and women of reproductive age living in developing countries. In young children, it can lead to disability in cognitive performance and development as well as expanded chance of disease and perinatal mortality.
The fortification of wheat and maize flour is commonly practiced in numerous nations as a cost-effective procedure to control and prevent iron deficiency. Rice, in spite of the fact that it is a very vital nourishment staple, is more complex to fortify. This innovation has been utilized in the Philippines to fortify rice with micronized ferric pyrophosphate (MFP). MFP may be a white, ineffectively water-soluble iron compound detailed to cause few sensory issues that's especially valuable in fortifying white foods. It is less costly than numerous other iron compounds.
Iron makes a difference to protect numerous crucial functions in the body, including general energy and focus, gastrointestinal forms, the immune system, and the control of body temperature. The benefits of iron frequently go unnoticed until an individual isn't getting sufficient. Iron deficiency anemia can cause weariness, heart palpitations, pale skin, and breathlessness. So, iron daily recommendations are very important to meet most especially during pregnancy. Blood volume and red blood cell generation increase significantly amid pregnancy to supply the developing embryo with oxygen and supplements. This results in an increased demand for iron. Whereas the body regularly maximizes iron retention amid pregnancy, deficiently iron intake or other components influencing the way iron is ingested can lead to iron deficiency.
Fortification has been proven to be beneficial to individuals who hardly get enough certain nutrient. Iron-fortified Rice is no exemption as this has been very promising to address iron deficiency anemia. Let us support this program of the government by cosuming this enriched commodity and surely, with other nutrients, we can win the battle against malnutrition.
NO II Joanna Marie E. Baltazar, RND
References:
Iron-Fortified Rice Is As Efficacious As Supplemental Iron Drops in Infants and Young Children
https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/140/1/49/4600429
NOW SERVING: IRON-FORTIFIED RICE
https://region11.dost.gov.ph/148-now-serving-iron-fortified-rice#:~:text=In%202000%2C%20the%20government%20signed,NFA)%20fortified%20rice%20with%20iron.
Iron rice: Increasing diversity in diet is a better solution to anaemia than chemical fortification
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/iron-rice-increasing-diversity-in-diet-is-a-better-solution-to-anaemia-than-chemical-fortification-78202
Everything you need to know about iron
