Eating well
Eating well with little money
The biggest cause of poor nutrition
is poverty. Rich people in wealthy
countries can buy any foods they
want, while those in poor
communities cannot. And
within each community, some
can afford to eat better than
others. A few people own most
of the land or businesses, and
make money off of the work of
others. Even within each
family, a father may eat better
than his wife or children.
I must
eat first.
No, I eat
first!
Fools. None of
you have as
much as I do.
To learn more about the
root causes of poverty and
ways to work for change,
see the books Where There Is
No Doctor and Helping
Health Workers Learn.
The problems of hunger and poor nutrition will not be
solved until we all share with each other fairly.
Even a very poor family can eat better by
spending money wisely. A father who buys alcohol
and tobacco could instead buy nutritious food or
he could buy a hen to lay eggs. A mother who buys
her children sweets or soda pop could instead buy
eggs, beans, or other low-cost healthful foods.
Here are some ideas that families can use to eat
better with little money:
Breast milk
Breast milk costs nothing, and has all the nutrition a baby needs. Young children
do not need fortified milks — especially if they are still breastfeeding and eating
other foods.
Beans, peas, and lentils
Beans and other legumes have a lot of
protein and vitamins, and they usually
do not cost much. They have even
more vitamins if they are sprouted
before being eaten.
Planting legumes makes soil richer. Grow beans this year.
Next year, maize.
Other crops will grow better in a field where legumes once grew.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
41