By Adewolu Morenike A.
• Introduction
One of the serious problems facing developing countries today is how to match food production levels, particularly proteinous foods, with increasing demand by a growing population. The magnitude of this problem is shown in the prevalence of kwashiorkor and other diseases associated with protein deficiencies.
In Nigeria, the average protein intake is low; it is estimated as 45.4g per day. This is below the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)\World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of 70g per day with half coming from plant sources and the remaining half from animal protein sources. This article highlights the importance of fish and soyabean protein as crucial diets for Nigerians.

• Fish as the healthiest animal protein source
Fish, when compared to beef, chicken, and milk protein has a higher tendency to support health in terms of digestibility, biological value, protein efficiency ratio and amino acid profile. Fish is the most easily digestible of all the dietary animal proteins because of the presence of lower connective tissue. Human beings can utilize up to 85% (WHO). In addition, the cost of fish production when compared to other livestock is cheaper. Fish is more available and readily affordable than other animal protein sources.

• Nutritional benefits of eating fish
Nutritionally, fish can be classified into three major categories:
Oily Fish – These fish contain significant amount of oil (about 30%) in their body tissues, belly cavities and guts. Examples are mackerel, salmon, sardines and catfish
Lean Fish – These are the white fish with lower amount of fat content. Examples are soles, cod fish (panla) and tilapias
Shell Fish – These are fish that are covered with shell. Examples are crabs, oysters, lobsters and prawns\shrimps
Fish is an important source of high-quality and digestible protein that contains all the essential amino acids.
It contains water soluble vitamins like vitamin B complex, vitamin B12, B6, B2, folic acid, biotin and very little quantity of vitamin C. It is also rich in fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K. Fish also contains important micronutrients (minerals) such as calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, lead and copper. These minerals may be beneficial or toxic to man, depending on the level of exposure. Fish, especially marine fish, are a dietary source of iodine.
It is an important source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Basically, the most important nutrients needed for human body are found in fish. Several factors may affect the nutrient composition of fish, these include the age or size, sex, environment, season of the year, amount of food available and physical activities.
Some fish species stop feeding before spawning and draw on their protein and fats reserves, thus affecting their nutrient content. Also, fish, when overcrowded, may not have enough food intake thereby affecting the nutrient composition. It is important to mention that nutrient content varies within an individual fish. For example, fat may not always be distributed uniformly throughout the flesh of a particular fish. In Pacific salmon, there may be twice as much fat in the muscle around the head as in the muscles of the tail.
In the lean fish of cod family, the fat content of the muscle is generally low, below 1%. Majority of the fat content is in the liver, which is not normally eaten, and may contain greater quantities of oil soluble vitamins A and D. In contrast, these two vitamins may be present in the flesh of other fish, e.g eels. The nutrient content of fish, if carefully processed, are not affected by preservation, provided storage is not very prolonged.
Eating fish may lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes because of the presence of omega-3 fatty acids. The high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in oily fish is valuable in decreasing the serum cholesterol. Fish, as a good source of vitamin D and calcium, can improve bone health and growth.

• Omega-3 fatty acids in fish are beneficial to improving visions and eyes health.
Eating of oily fish may improve quality of sleep due to the high concentration of vitamin D. Fish as a high packed nutrient, when eaten, may boost our immune system, especially during this period of COVID-19 pandemic. Fish oil is supportive in lowering blood pressure due to its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help in the breakdown of triglycerides and fatty acids in the liver, thereby lowering the risk of fatty liver disease. It helps blood flow to the brain and improves its performance during mental tasks. The fat and the pituitary gland in the fish head are rich in Vitamin A, which can fight free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. Higher consumption of fish can reduce the inflammation of joint in rheumatoid arthritis, prevent depression and may reduce the risks of autoimmune diseases. Research has shown that children who consume fish regularly have lower risk of asthma, improved memory and reduced risks of contracting diseases. It is recommended to eat two to three servings of fish per week to enjoy all the benefits.
• Soyabean as the healthiest plant protein source
In line with the FAO/WHO recommendations that half of the estimated protein needed by man may come from plant sources, the plant protein source may come from soyabean, which is affordable and contains essential nutrients. Soyabeans are unique from other legumes because they have a concentrated source of isoflavones and have weak estrogenic. They have higher amount of protein and fats than other legumes. They are relatively low in carbohydrate. Nutritionally, soyabean is one of the best sources of high-quality plant protein, containing about 40-56 per cent of the dry weight. The fat content is approximately 18 per cent of the dry weight, mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and zero cholesterol.
The predominant type of fat in soyabeans is linoleic acid, which accounts for about 50 per cent of the total fat. Soyabeans are low in carbohydrates, hence very low on the glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how foods affect the rise in blood sugar after a meal. Soyabeans contain a moderate amount of soluble and insoluble fibre.
It is a good source of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K1, the B-vitamins, folate, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and thiamine. They are a rich source of various bioactive plant compounds, including isoflavones, saponins, and phytic acid. Generally, composition, protein quality and nutritive value of soybeans depend on numerous factors, including seed variety, environmental conditions during growing, harvesting and storage of the beans.

• Health Benefits of Soyabeans
Soyabeans have a number of health benefits. It may reduce the risk of cancer. The isoflavones and lunasin in soyabean may be responsible for the potential prevention of cancer. Exposure to isoflavones early in life may be protective against breast cancer later in life.
The high levels of antioxidants in soyabean may prevent the onset of several cancers; it may help to kill several cancer cells and remove free radicals from the body. Research studies indicate that isoflavones, found in soyabeans, may alleviate menopausal symptoms. A number of studies suggest that consumption of soyabeans can help lower the cholesterol in the body by 4-6 per cent.
The high amount of fiber in soyabeans may help to lower the cholesterol from other foods. It plays a vital role in the digestive system. People suffering from constipation are advised to consume fibre-rich foods to help them excrete regularly. Soyabean also contains oligosaccharides, a carbohydrate that is known to stimulate the growth of healthy gut bacteria, acting as a prebiotic.
Soyabeans help in healthy weight management. Its high protein content allows for the development of leaner muscle it helps in regulating insulin levels thereby curbing obesity. Soyabeans may lower high blood pressure because of its high protein, high potassium and low carbohydrate content, a mixture that helps to bring down blood pressure.

• Fish and Soyabeans combination
The combination of fish and soyabeans makes it a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids and other important nutrients needed in the human body. Dietary habits of consuming soyabeans and fish have a lot of health benefits, as this combo can lower the risk of diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, cancer and other diseases affecting millions of Nigerians. This combo is cheap and readily available. Nigerians, especially the pregnant women, children and the elderly, can survive and live healthily on it. This superfood is recommended to all.

Adewolu Morenike is a professor at the Lagos State University and specialises in Fish Nutrition.

A leading nutrition expert has called for the establishment of Home Economics and Nutrition Extension agents across the country in furtherance of efforts to curtail the menace of malnutrition, particularly protein malnutrition in Nigeria.
Prof. Henrietta Nkechi Ene-Obong of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Cross River State, who made this call recently at the Protein Challenge Webinar themed ‘Bridging the Knowledge Gap’, noted that the agents would function much like agricultural extension officers, in the nutrition space.
She argued that the message about nutrition must be brought to the level of the people across every stratum of the society and where possible, provided in the local languages to help boost nutrition education.
According to her, “Home economics and nutrition extension agents would be in the best position to simplify the nutrition message and bring it to the people to bring about the desired outcome in behaviour from the citizenry.”
She called for the introduction of nutrition education in schools, nursery, primary and secondary, as students can learn and equally be able to teach their parents at home. The don stated that capacity must be developed to bridge the knowledge gap and put such knowledge into action.
Reports indicate that food consumption habits in Nigeria depend on the availability of food source, affordability of the food and knowledge of the nutrition value along with the personal choice or preference of the buyer.
On the importance of protein, she explained that proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of the body tissues; hence they are found throughout the body. Pregnant and lactating women need extra proteins to help in the development of the foetus and milk production, she noted. She said that healthy adults need to consume an average of 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight, for individuals with minimal to intense physical activity.
In family meals, it is important that carbohydrates with proteins are mixed, she said for, example, rice and beans, yam and eggs. We must ensure that infants and young children consume foods from at least four food groups: grains, roots and tubers; legumes and nuts; dairy products; flesh foods and eggs; vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables (like carrots and sweet potatoes) and other fruits and vegetables.”
Prof Ene-Obong revealed that of all measures designed to stop all forms of malnutrition, the food-based approach is the most cost-effective.
She stated that with adequate nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life and adequate maternal and adolescent nutrition, the nation stands a better chance of curbing the menace of malnutrition. The home economics and nutrition agents will be at the forefront of pursuing this agenda.
The nutrition enthusiast stated that mothers need to be encouraged to engage in exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and to continue breastfeeding for two years. Adequate complementary feeding should also be promoted, the professor of human nutrition said.
Protein Challenge is the tag of The Nigeria Protein Awareness Campaign, a protein pull media campaign that seeks to create awareness about the prevalence, status and impact of protein deficiency in Nigeria.
The campaign aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – Zero Hunger – which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

By Veronica Eneh Ejembi

Nutrition, whether at the individual, domestic or national level, is an essential part of health and development that cannot be overemphasized. Achieving optimal nutrition is critical to any nation. This is particularly true for the nutritionally vulnerable (pregnant women and their unborn children, elderly, children under five, immune-compromised individuals and people living with chronic illnesses).
A country’s health index can be used to predict its economic potential and development projection. Since it has been established that the health status of a country is important, there is the need to have a nutrition policy in place to enable it tackle emergent health issues.
A policy is a statement of intent proposed by an organisation or an individual to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. Policies are necessary tools for addressing issues and one of such policies that are essential is a nutritional policy.
A nutritional policy is an agreed statement by an authoritative body (usually the government) of its intent to act to maintain or alter the food supply, nutritional status or some indicator in the society. Often, nutritional policies are created and implemented as planning tools to ensure population health optimisation, or created as a response to a population health need.
No doubt, implementing a protein-centred nutrition policy will help influence people’s attitude towards consuming protein-rich foods and limit illnesses associated with protein deficiency. Besides, a nutritional policy will help change certain cultural behaviours like giving the head of a household a large portion of available protein foods, considering protein a ‘luxury food’ and not prioritising protein in one’s diet.
Globally, national nutrition policies have had a positive impact on health. For example, the wheat flour fortification programme in Jordan where the staple flour is fortified with iron and folic acid then later with zinc, niacin and vitamins A and B.
The United States of America also had a programme to influence the increase in consumption of dairy. In Nigeria, iodine deficiency was also combated by increasing the public’s education of the benefits of iodine in diet. These examples show that having a protein-centred national nutrition policy may indeed be the way to go in tackling protein deficiency in Nigeria.
To develop and implement a protein-centred nutrition policy in Nigeria, certain frameworks should be in place. These guidelines were discussed by medical experts and nutritionists at the recently held Protein Challenge Webinar Series 6 themed ‘The Case for a Protein-Centred National Nutrition Policy.’

Here are three pillars that should be a part of such a policy:

Education About Protein Benefits
A lot of people lack the necessary information about the benefits of protein and this has hampered its consumption. Education about protein should not be restricted to classrooms and in theory only. Head of households, key nutrition decision makers and homemakers should be educated at community centres, primary health centres and religious places on the benefits of including protein in the family diets. The woman functions as a gatekeeper in the home and educating her on the need for protein-rich foods and the risks associated with not eating enough protein will help influence the consumption of proteins in the home.

Availability of Protein-rich Foods
Protein-rich foods need to be prioritised and made available for consumption. This can be achieved if agricultural and food production policies support farmers by providing them with fertilizers, transportation, storage and processing facilities. Initiatives like these will encourage more farmers to plant and produce more protein-rich plants and rear animal proteins that are affordable for people to purchase and consume.

Affordability of Protein Food Sources
Most people tend to ignore protein foods because of the assumption that they are expensive. In a way, most animal proteins are pricey. It is therefore imperative to ensure constant availability of protein-rich foods as this will drive down cost and take care of price. Besides, the government can introduce subsidies to make certain protein foods affordable to a point where every household can afford to consume protein at every meal.
Nutritional policies, when implemented effectively have shown that there is a positive shift in the direction aimed for. This proves that creating and implementing a protein-centred nutrition policy would be a great step towards eradicating protein deficiency in Nigeria.
This protein-centred nutrition policy needs to target education, availability and affordability of protein-rich foods. Protein deficiency will become a thing of the past in Nigeria with the effective implementation of a protein-centred national nutrition policy.

By Veronica Ejembi
Protein deficiency is at an all-time high in Nigeria. If you think this health issue is exaggerated, then you need to take a look at the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS) to understand how worrisome this matter has become. The Nigeria Protein Deficiency Report 2019 was equally sobering.
Protein is very important for productivity, growth and development. Simply put, without protein, nothing works and for individuals to be healthy, the inclusion of protein in the diets is paramount.
Protein is needed not only at the beginning of life but also at different stages of life. The amount of protein required by various individuals depends on age, gender, and physiological conditions such as growth, pregnancy, and lactation. Protein consumption must be taken seriously by all age groups.
Protein consumption in Nigeria is determined by various factors such as availability, affordability, taste, nutritional value, culture, and fondness for certain protein-rich foods. For us to overcome the menace of protein deficiency, there is a need to address the above factors to help boost the consumption of protein-rich foods.
In the quest to find a lasting solution, soybean has been tipped as the ‘Miracle Bean’ capable of tackling protein deficiency. Soybeans are also known as ‘meat without bones’ and have been recognised as plant food that is relatively high in protein compared with other plants and even some animals.
The protein in soybeans is of good quality, supports growth in children and contains high functional properties like lecithin and sadonins. Also, soybeans contain essential amino acids that are beneficial to the body and should be combined with all the food groups that make up a balanced diet.
The importance of soybeans in the war against protein deficiency has not gone unnoticed. In the recent Protein Challenge Webinar themed Nigeria’s Protein Deficiency Challenge: Soybeans to the Rescue, nutrition experts convened to discuss how soybeans can be incorporated not only into meals but also the way of life of Nigerians. Find highlights from the session below:

• Nutrition Education on Benefits of Soybeans
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has endorsed soybean as an ingredient in complementary food, due to its ability to provide a single-source availability of adequate levels of essential amino acids of high biological value.
When soybean is combined with other foods like whole grains, milk and eggs it helps children grow taller naturally. They can also be added to cereals to improve the protein content and supply essential nutrients for the body to stay healthy. The benefits of soybeans are not restricted to children alone. In adults, soybean meals can improve immunity and quality of life.
Soybeans are versatile. There should be community nutrition education on the benefits of soybean consumption. In many instances, it would require collaboration between the private and the public sectors. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have to be actively involved in educating Nigerians not just on the ills of protein deficiency but also the different ways and benefits of using soybeans to combat protein deficiency.
Women, especially, should be empowered, through education, with the nutritional and health benefits of soybeans. They should be taught how best to introduce this ‘Miracle Bean’ creatively in meal planning in their homes.

• Increase Acceptability of Soybeans
People do not go to the market to buy protein, minerals or vitamins, but food. Food is not just about nutrients; it is about cultural acceptability. In Nigeria, the food sources that are frequently eaten are not necessarily the healthiest. It is usually socially acceptable and available.
Soybeans are a protein-rich food source. It is locally available. It now needs to be repackaged to become acceptable. Also, there is the need to rebrand soybean as a product that is not just for the poor but for everyone, particularly for the health-conscious.
Soybeans should be made readily available. To achieve this, production should be increased to match demand. Besides, to ensure that it catches on fast, there should be a policy for feed millers to incorporate soy flour into wheat flour production. Bakers and confectionary firms can equally add soy flour at the point of production to promote acceptability and improve the nutrient value of the products.

• Explore Soy Products
There are varieties of soybean products that can be utilised in our diets. Products such as soy milk, soy sauce, tofu, soybean oil, soy flour, soy cake, soy nut butter, and soy-based infant formula, among others, should be adequately explored in the fight against protein deficiency.
Every one of these soy products screams protein. Protein is needed to build protection against infections, boost the immune system and serve as a good source of energy.
It is time for Nigerians to be soy-centred. To start, every one of us should keep soy flour in our kitchens and incorporate soy products into meals. Soybean is the key to defeating protein deficiency. It is healthy, protein-rich, readily available and easily accessible.
Don’t snooze on this ‘golden legume’.