THE EDITOR, Sir:
WITH GREAT chagrin I read in The Gleaner, Saturday July 27 where Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke has encouraged Jamaicans to eat more eggs. The Minister's only motive for wanting us to eat more eggs is to boost the egg industry. He has not even given one thought to the effects this will have on our health.
Eggs may supplement our diet but the intake of eggs on such a regular basis is not necessary and may have ill effects on our health in the long-run. This will in turn put a strain on the health sector as more and more of us become ill from excessive intake of dairy products, eggs included. Scientists have proved that egg yolks contain high levels of cholesterol which is bad for our bodies. Recently, local nutritionists and medical practitioners have raised concerns about the state of health among Jamaicans due to bad dietary practices.
What Mr. Clarke should do, is encourage us to eat more fruits and vegetables which have highly beneficial effects for us. Greater consumption of fruits and vegetables will also benefit the agricultural industry. As for encouraging children to drink more milk as a means of boosting the dairy industry, Mr. Clarke should note that cows milk is only good for calves. Perhaps the reason that milk products are threatened by soy-based products is not because their manufacturers have the money to do public relations but because more people are now gravitating towards soy products because we realise the greater health benefits that they offer as opposed to milk products.
The Agriculture Minister needs to be more responsible in making his statements. The Agricultural industry must not be enhanced at the expense to our health.
I am etc.,
scolaine@hotmail.com
Kingston 8
