At a time when opinions on malnutrition are emerging in Latvian society more and more, a Snapshot survey conducted by Maxima Latvija shows – 57% of residents admit they eat vegetables only once a day or less, even though a well-balanced daily menu should consist of 500 g of these products. More than a third – 35% – believe that their family's daily menu lacks fruit – half of the respondents (51%) eat fruit less than once a day.
More than 60% of the residents of Latvia admit that various reasons prevent them from adding more fruit and vegetables to their daily menus. 25% do not have enough information on the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables for balanced nutrition, and 16% lack information on their preparation. 20% of respondents indicate that they do not have the time to prepare vegetables, while 17% of respondents admit that eating fruit and vegetables is not a habit in their family.
Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs: “Fresh fruit and vegetables are not only healthy but also an important part of our daily diet. In order to make fresh fruit, berries and vegetables more accessible to people, these products have reduced VAT – only 5% - as of the beginning of this year, based on a suggestion by the Ministry of Agriculture. In addition, for the 14th year in a row Latvian schools and kindergartens are implementing the special programme of the Ministry of Agriculture for distributing fruit, vegetables and milk, in order to teach the younger generation about healthy daily nutrition. As Minister for Agriculture, I can assure that Latvian farmers grow safe and healthy produce, therefore I encourage everyone to include more fruit, vegetables and berries in their daily diet.”
"Maxima has been activley working on expanding the range of fresh fruit and vegetables in cooperation with Latvian farms, taking care to ensure a healthy assortment of products for families. According to sales figures, the biggest demand is for traditional vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, but there are a number of other vegetables, for example, beetroot and squash, that are very tasty and rich in vitamins. We want to encourage people to expand their menus with fruit and vegetables grown in Latvia, as well as make recommendations on how to cook them in new, delicious ways, especially for children," says Viktors Troicins, Board member of Maxima Latvia.
Maxima Latvija has launched a special initiative with the goal of changing the habit of eating fruit and vegetables. In order to raise awareness of fruit and vegetables, improve their assortment in meals and expand preparation skills, Maxima Latvija, has created a team called the Vitamin Brigade together with nutritional experts, which during the harvest time from July to October, will search for the most delicious and suitable local products and ways of cooking them, thus promoting the habit of eating fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. The team of experts will consist of nutritionist Lizete Puga, creator of the Little Chefs' School Laura Grēviņa, as well as children and teenagers themselves.
“Vegetables are the foundation of a person's diet, as they contain valuable, biologically active compounds such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants of low energy value, which are essential for both growing and grown up people. We should eat at least 500 g of vegetables every day, which is equivalent to 3-4 vegetables, that are as diverse as possible not only in terms of taste, but colour and preparation as well. Raw, steamed, fried, red, purple, green, white... Diversity is one of the basic rules of a healthy lifestyle! Therefore, it is important to teach children to experience the true taste of the product!” emphasises Lizete Puga, certified nutrition specialist.
The survey was ordered by "Maxima Latvija" and conducted by "Snapshot"; the participants were 700 residents of Latvia, aged 18-74. Data was collected and processed in July, 2018.
Information for the media:
Liene Dupate-Ugule
Head of Communications
SIA Maxima Latvija
Phone: 26425420
Email: liene.dupate@maxima.lv
www.maxima.lv
