Poor Diet:
Cause of Africa's Underdevelopment
By Paul Nyandoto
The poor diet that most African children are exposed to
is one of the main causes of African poverty and
underdevelopment. It could perhaps explain why it was
easy for Europeans to colonise Africans and why Africa
is still being exploited both by foreigners and by its
own leaders.
The brain is the intelligent part of the
body. The highest function of life- thinking- takes
place in the brain. Why are Kenyans and by extension
Africans corrupt?
Poverty. Poverty stems from lack of a
balanced diet and as a result, poor or bad brain
development. To conceive and execute good strategies,
one requires good working brains. Good brains in turn
need good food.
Consider the most recommended diet below:
Carbohydrates 50-60%
Protein 10-20%
Fats 30-35%
Fibres 25-35grammes/daily
Vitamins
Carbohydrates are a source of energy. Proteins ensure
body growth and repair (remember brain growth and worn
out cells also need replacements). Fats provide energy
and fat soluble vitamins. Vitamins in small quantities
keep you healthy. Mineral salts ensure healthy teeth,
bones and muscles while Fibres help your intestines to
function correctly.
Most African children and adults do consume 90% of
carbohydrates in their daily diet and about 10% of the
rest. The most important source of protein to an
African’s brain comes from the carbohydrates metabolism
already in the body.
This metabolism tries hard to change the
too much consumed carbohydrates to protein. A growing
human being and developing brains need a lot of protein.
Proteins are very important for the repair of worn out
or dead cells. This is seen even in hospitals after
operations; a poor diet causes wound to heal slowly and
poorly.
Immunity, the way a body fights germs or
diseases is also weak on individuals having poor diet.
No brain will function well if you do not have enough
food or good proteins.
Africans always blame the whites for malpractices that
exist on the continent- while most of them are a result
of our poor thinking. Consider the Anglo-leasing or
Goldenberg scandals in Kenya. Europeans as well as
respective African leaders were involved. But who is
suffering?
We see a very big difference on brain
manipulations. Whereas Kenyan leaders were manipulating
the system in Kenya and the tax-payers, the Europeans or
Americans connected in these scandals were manipulating
both our leaders and the common Kenyan man and woman
plus their children.
You can extend that to the skewed global economic order
that has made Africans producers of raw materials but
left the processing of finished products to developed
nations. We can’t harness our mineral resources; exploit
solar energy; feed ourselves or even believe in
ourselves unless a white man is involved! Isn’t that a
show of malfunctioning or underdeveloped brains?
The past generation and present adults in Africa are
already a let down to the continent. Just look at
Gaddafi; how can a president call for a jihad war
against a foreign country as Gaddafi is doing now to
Switzerland- just because his son messed in Switzerland
and was subjected to the Swiss law? Do you think he has
any live brainy cells left in his head? What development
will such a brain will bring to Africa? What development
will brains that collude with foreigners to plunder
Africa’s resources bring to the continent?
The poor diet theory explains a lot about the less
achievement Africans have accomplished. The gene theory
that laziness or brainless is more on blacks than in
other races does not hold water anymore today.
We need to give our children better diets. We will see
the difference. We need good diets- this will ensure
good brains hence good mentors and good programmes. Most
of Africans still eat a diet of 90% carbohydrates and
10% of very useless overcooked vegetables. This diet
contains little or no nutrients required by the human
brain to develop fully in order to handle due process.
Our carbohydrate dependent society combined with leaders
who are a product of carbohydrates is a recipe for
disaster. Just visit any boarding school in Africa and
consider its diet, then compare it with our European
counterparts.
If the brain is already saturated with a lot of
carbohydrates, do you expect to get any inventors? You
will end up breeding more corrupt bookworms and 'proffessionals'
who can't solve any problem in the society.
With a good diet, Africans can achieve wonders: do not
forget that our continent is one of the richest in the
world- but it lags behind to due underdeveloped brains.
By Paul Nyandoto.
Paul Nyandoto can be reached at paul.nyandoto@phsotey.fi.
