Page 12 - Barefoot guide

STORY

WHAT FOOD WILL PROTECT US FROM COVID-19?

Martha stood in the morning sunshine frowning at her friend. Was it really
true that food could be medicine for COVID-19?
“Well, if true, then I have some good medicine which I just bought from
the supermarket.”
She showed Sarah her basket of perfumed polished rice, spaghetti, and
noodles, stock cubes, tomato paste and a small packet of sweet biscuits
for the children. But Sarah shook her head.
“That kind of food fills you up, but it’s not good medicine, especially
for your aunt, my sister. Believe me, those foods can make you fat and
unhealthy. They only give you energy to fill the stomach, but not
many of the ingredients you need to protect yourself against disease.”

Martha felt annoyed. She’d just spent good money on this food. It
was cheap, easy to cook, and her family liked it.
Sarah had upset her friend.

“I’m sorry Martha,” she said gently. “I didn’t mean to say bad
things about your food. Come to the market, and I’ll show you
what food is healthy and good medicine. Perhaps you can buy
some to cook with the rice.”
They wandered among the stalls. The market echoed with
the cries of people selling their wares, shoppers laughing and
chatting. The bright colours of the women’s dresses were
reflected in the piles of golden mangos, oranges,
plantains. They passed tables laden with green
cabbages, deep red tomatoes, green
garden eggs, and crisp orange carrots.
Further down, they passed a stall
with sacks of spices, ground-
nuts, dried beans and lentils,
and another with towering
piles of sweet potatoes, yam
and cassava. Martha wrinkled
her nose as she caught the scent
of small dried fish – she used to love
those fish as a child.
Sarah gathered a selection of fruits, green, red and
orange vegetables, dried beans, and sweet potatoes.
“Look how colourful my basket is. The different colours tell
you that these foods give you different nutrients. These have
almost all the vitamins, minerals, fibre, and protein your body
needs to fight disease and stay healthy, with no refined sugar
that contributes to diabetes.”

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