— Adams-Yearwood commends developing value-added, rice-based products
By Naomi Marshall
AS Guyana continues on the path to developing value-added, rice-based products, the Ministry of Agriculture is viewing the initiative as a step in a healthier direction.
This was recently indicated by the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture with responsibilities for Rural Affairs, Valerie Adams-Yearwood.
Yearwood said that rice-based products are tools the Guyanese population needs to make the shift necessary to live longer-healthier lives since they have numerous benefits attached to them.
In highlighting the benefits of using rice flour, the minister noted that it is high in fiber, protein, zinc, magnesium and iron.
According to the ‘Facty Health’ website, rice flour is good for the liver since it contains choline, which is essential in getting cholesterol from the liver to other parts of the body.
Additionally, rice flour is gluten free which is good for persons looking to lose weight or to boost their health. Also, it facilitates digestion, keeps bones healthy and is ideal for persons with celiac disease which causes an inability to process gluten.
Rice flour is not only good for making edibles, but it’s great for the skin as it tightens and exfoliates the skin and removes dark circles.
According to the ‘BeBeautiful.In’ website, “Rice contains a great deal of para aminobenzoic acid, ferulic acid and allantoin. Para aminobenzoic acid serves as a good sunscreen and increases the absorption of Vitamin C in the body. Ferulic acid is an anti-oxidant and allantoin is inflammatory in nature and repairs the skin.”
Minister Yearwood also added that the strides being made to reintroduce value-added rice-based products ties in with the Ministry of Agriculture and Region Four Regional Health Department’s Guyana Re-aligning Agriculture for Improved Nutrition and Health (‘GRAIN-H’) programme.
GRAIN-H is an initiative geared at improving overall health status through agricultural practices.
“This initiative involves promoting healthier eating habits and linking such habits to the reduction of non-communicable diseases. With reintegrating rice flour into our diets, we will be making healthier choices that fit right into the aim of the GRAIN-H initiative,” Yearwood stated.
According to Yearwood, it is the government’s vision to have a healthier population; however, in order to build an industry that supports healthy choices, innovation and economic growth, the agro processors must get involved.
The minister noted that as the world moves towards improving nutritional habits and lifestyles, persons are always looking for healthier ways to enjoy their favourite foods, and as such, Guyanese agro-processors should take advantage of the opportunity.
She added that this is the opportunity for agro-processors to put their skills to the test and create incredible rice-based products to add to the growing range of locally-produced commodities.
Yearwood said, “make it your duty to tap into and eventually dominate the gluten free product line in the local and regional markets”.
Recently, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) reintroduced rice flour to Guyana’s market during a showcase called “opportunities for blended flour in Guyana” at the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Complex.
