Santo Domingo. – He National Institute of Student Welfare (Inabie)through its Health and Nutrition Directorate, reported that it managed to “significantly” reduce the amount of salt that is used in the recipes of the School Feeding Program (PAE).
In a press release, the institution also noted that the added sugar in the menu remains within the recommended levels for children and adolescents.
According to Inabie, with the improvements now the sodium intake went from 88% to 48% of the recommended daily limit, “which means that students now consume almost half the sodium than beforein line with the standards established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nutrition Institute of Central America and Panama (Incap).”
Likewise, he highlighted that the measure impacts more than 2.1 million beneficiariesamong students, teaching and administrative staff of more than 7,000 public educational centers of the country.
He noted that the reduction of salt in infant feeding It helps prevent blood pressure problems and cardiovascular diseases in adult life.
In that sense, Inabie explained that for foods traditionally high in sodiumsuch as cod, suppliers, based on the guidelines, apply the desalination technique which helps reduce salt before cooking, maintaining the flavor and acceptance of the school menu.
Regarding sugar, the institution explained that sugar products school breakfastsuch as dairy products and bakery preparations, are formulated in compliance with WHO recommendations, with a contribution of free sugars of less than 5% of the total energy required by a child per day.
“This allows us to offer balanced breakfasts, avoid early exposure to very sweet flavors and reduce risks related to overweight and obesity,” he added.
The director of Inabie, Adolfo Perezpointed out that these actions respond to the institutional commitment to offer healthier meals within the PAE.
He said that this is an important step in promoting healthy eating habits and preventing diseases associated with excessive consumption of sugar and salt in the student population of the public system.
Under supervision
To ensure compliance with nutritional standards, Inabie reported that it maintains a permanent supervision system which includes technical visits to bakeries and dairy plants, laboratory analysis and continuous specialized training processes in safety, guaranteeing strict adherence to the technical sheets by its suppliers and food handlers.
The measures are complemented by the verification of educational centers through the School Food and Nutrition Committees (CANE)which contribute to guaranteeing the quality and safety of the food distributed.
The institution assured that it will continue to strengthen the nutritional policies of the PAE to guarantee a balanced, safe diet in accordance with the growth and development needs of the student population.
You can also read: INABIE promotes healthy eating as an engine of learning
The students’ menu is composed taking into account the nutritional requirements of the age groups served by Inabie. It is cyclical and includes all food groups, distributed in 25 combinations of dishes over 5 weeks, which guarantees variety and that schoolchildren can receive the necessary nutrients.
