Nutrition
Health benefits of fruits
Great source of essential vitamins: fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Eating a variety of fruits in the form of a fruit salad can go a long way in stimulating the energy level and health factor of the body.
High in fiber content: The presence of dietary fiber in fruits can keep the blood cholesterol level in check and also reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in individuals. Fiber-rich fruits such as strawberry, apple, banana and mango also possess anti-carcinogenic properties.
-Excellent source of nutrition for pregnant women: Fruits contain folate (folic acid) that helps the body to form red blood cells. It is advisable for pregnant women to consume
fruits (orange and grapefruit) in optimum amounts and enrich their body with folic acid. It helps reduce the risk of physical and mental deformities in the fetus.
-Regulates blood pressure: Fruits like bananas, oranges, avocado that are rich in potassium can help you maintain a normal blood pressure. They are also low in carbs and fat; hence they naturally prove healthier than any other food substitute.
-Keeps body weight in check: Fruits that are rich in vitamin C prove beneficial in controlling the body weight. Moreover, fruits do not contain any saturated fats or cholesterol that are harmful for cardiac health.
-Aids in digestion: Fruits with high-fiber content retain laxative properties and ease the process of digestion in the human body. This also prevents the formation of kidney stones.
-Nourishing the skin and hair: They are high on anti-oxidants that help the skin to retain its radiance and glow. Fruits like papaya, coconut, etc. can fight various dermatological disorders. Fruits containing vitamin A give the hair a lustrous look.
-Hydrates the body: Owing to the high amount of water in most of the fruits, they are an easy and quick source of hydration. Their intake is equally important during summers and winters.
-Boosts the immune system: Fruits are rich in calcium, magnesium and even essential vitamins like Vitamin K and Vitamin E. These can treat various chronic disorders and also improve our resistance against germs and diseases.
Source: apollodiagnostics.com
Soya beans is a highly nutritious plant-based food with several health benefits:
-Rich source of protein
-Contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.
-Helpful for vegetarians and vegans as an alternative to animal protein.
-Supports muscle growth and repair.
– Heart Health
-Helps lower cholesterol levels
-Contains healthy unsaturated fats and fibre that support cardiovascular health
-Can be part of a heart-friendly diet
-Bone health
-Provides calcium (in fortified soy products), magnesium, and protein
-Soy isoflavones may help maintain bone density, especially in postmenopausal women
– May help manage menopausal symptoms
-Contains natural compounds called isoflavones (phytoestrogens)
-Some women experience reduced hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms with soy consumption
-Supports weight management
-High protein and fibre content can increase fullness and reduce hunger
-May help with maintaining a healthy weight
-Good for blood sugar control
-Has a low glycemic index
-Protein and fibre can help stabilise blood sugar levels
Ghana has nutrition policies. Ghana has nutrition targets. Ghana has nutrition programmes spread across multiple ministries and dozens of implementing partners.
What Ghana does not have is a single, empowered body responsible for leading, coordinating, and holding all this together. That is the gap a National Nutrition Council would fill, and stakeholders are calling for one now.
The case for a council
At a stakeholder engagement convened under the Nourish Ghana project in 2025, participants proposed the establishment of a National Nutrition Council to provide effective leadership and a governance framework for addressing malnutrition in Ghana. The meeting, which brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society organisations, and the media, highlighted a fundamental problem: nutrition responsibilities are fragmented across various ministries. Without a dedicated coordination body, efforts are duplicated, accountability is diffuse, and nutrition consistently loses out when budgets are tight.
The proposal echoes a model used in several countries that have made the fastest progress against malnutrition. Nigeria’s National Council on Nutrition, for example, recently pledged $107 million at the 2025 N4G Summit, a level of coordinated ambition that Ghana has struggled to match.
Ghana does have existing coordination structures worth acknowledging. The Scaling Up Nutrition Cross-Sectoral Planning Group (CSPG), established in 2012, was set up to harmonise planning, implementation, and monitoring of nutrition actions across sectors. It has produced real gains. But the challenge has been institutionalising those gains beyond project cycles, and analysts have called for an elevated national coordination body with presidential oversight to ensure genuine cross-sector accountability. A National Nutrition Council would go further, providing the dedicated financing and convening authority that the CSPG, as currently structured, does not have.
What a Council would do
A National Nutrition Council would provide political oversight and coordination across all sectors involved in nutrition, health, agriculture, education, social protection, and finance. It would track Ghana’s nutrition commitments, hold ministries accountable for delivery, and ensure that nutrition budgets are protected and spent effectively. Most importantly, it would give nutrition a permanent seat at the table where national development decisions are made.
The Time Is Now
Ghana made 10 commitments at the 2025 N4G Paris Summit. Translating those commitments into results requires a governance structure that does not currently exist. Establishing a National Nutrition Council is not a bureaucratic exercise. It is the institutional foundation without which Ghana’s nutrition ambitions will remain promises on paper. Leaders must act on this proposal without delay.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
