Turkish envoy encourages eating balanced diet to fight diseases

THE Turkish Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Mehmet Güllüoğlu has underscored the importance of preferring local cuisines and considering a balanced diet to address challenges of vitamin-deficiency-related diseases.

The nutrient deficiencies may cause several diseases, like goiter, mental retardation, acute respiratory infections, decreased cognitive function, cancer, vision loss, rickets, pellagra, and beriberi.

Giving the remark over the weekend during the climax of the celebration of “Turkish Cuisine Week,” in Dar es Salaam, the Turkish Ambassador who is also a medical doctor encouraged the communities in both Tanzania and Turkey to continue eating balanced diet to avert challenges of vitamins deficiencies.

“We should enrich what we eat…we should enrich our plates with various meals that involve balanced diet for our health and address the challenges of vitamins deficiencies,” Dr Güllüoğlu underlined.

Dr Güllüoğlu also advised the community to stop the habit of eating one type of food and instead eat foods that contain all minerals and nutrients.

Commenting about the event, the envoy said the menu of the Turkish Cuisine week (celebrated annually in 21 -27 May) involved different kinds of foods in various cities adding that the special menu for this year’s cuisine consists of local dishes from the cuisine of Hatay.

“Hatay province has long been world-renowned for its diverse cuisine. Featuring more than 650 dishes, Hatay’s gastronomy is a Mediterranean cuisine characterised by fresh vegetables, quality olive oil, and legumes and cereals. Hatay menu, showcased in this year’s international events, includes flatbread with red pepper paste, olive salad, hummus, kısır (fine bulgur salad), oven-baked kebap and künefe (Kadayıf dessert with cheese),” he spoke.

According to him, the Turkish cuisine consisting of original tastes prepared with local products, adding that the cuisine supports healthy and balanced nutrition through its rich biodiversity.

“For Turkish people food is not only something for nutrition but also is part of our culture, and history, even tea and coffee is very important for our culture …coffee and tea are ubiquitous features of Turkish life..a popular Turkish saying  “A single cup of coffee is remembered for 40 years,” he emphasised.