Taiwang Banana is Given Due Respect in Head Start Workshop!

by Dr. Lois Englberger

An enthusiastic health workshop series, carried out by Head Start and other Pohnpei groups, made its way to 9 Head Start centers throughout Pohnpei from January 19 to February 5, 2004, meeting 257 parents, including both women and men. Ms. Erihna Iohp, Nutrition Specialist, made the arrangements, and staff from Pohnpei Public Health, Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Island Food Community of Pohnpei, also gave presentations.

The aim of the workshops was to convey public health messages, including food safety, water sanitation, immunization, and nutrition, including information on the new findings of the high nutrient content of varieties of local foods, and to provide leaflets and posters.

One message that received much attention was that of the high nutritional value of Taiwang banana, which contains over 10 times the provitamin A carotenoid content of the common banana Utin Menihle. In several communities people said that they had been told that that banana causes worms, a misunderstanding that has spread through in various areas of Pohnpei and Kosrae. Several workshop participants indicated immediately after the workshops that they were going to start eating this banana.

Medex Soterios Loyola stressed that many of the present-day problems of diabetes, heart diseases, and cancers are related to the change of diet and increased consumption of imported rice and other refined, sweet, or fatty foods. Dr. Englberger pointed out that new studies indicate that carotenoid-rich foods, like Taiwang and other yellow-fleshed bananas (Karat, Akadahn, Akadahn Weitahta, Utin Iap, Utin Kerenis, Ihpali, and Mangat) and giant swamp taro varieties, give a special protection against these diseases. Even the white-fleshed local foods (like Inahsio) contain at least small amounts of carotenoids, whereas rice contains none.

Ms. Amy Levendusky, Pohnpei Agriculture, shared with the communities about the 42 different Pohnpei bananas that were listed by a group of farmers last October 2003. She also asked if families could inform her about rare bananas (like Karat en Yap, Utiak en Pohnpei, Utin Iap, Tikahp, Mangat, and Sapwterehng).

Other presenters and facilitators at the workshops included Mr. Wagner David, Ms. Sihter Santos, Mr. Perez Ioanis, Ms. Yumiko Paul, Mr. Stanley Albert, Mr. Francisco Kerman, Ms. Adelihner Ioanis, and Ms. Allison Corsi.

Thanks are also extended to the funding agencies, including the Australian Embassy, Sight and Life, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, which supported the development of the Pohnpei Vitamin A-Rich Foods posters that were distributed.