Today we have the pleasure of interview Marta Cuervo, doctor in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Professor of the Department of Food Sciences of the University of Navarra and member of the Spanish Federation of Nutrition, Food and Dietetic Societies (FESNAD).
Author of various works on nutrition, she has recently collaborated in the publication of the book "Dietary Reference Intakes (IDR) for the Spanish population. Spanish Federation of Nutrition, Food and Dietetic Societies (FESNAD)", which we talked about a few days ago .
We have it with us to ask about current issues such as the risk of mercury in fish, as well as nutrition during pregnancy and lactation or the problem of childhood obesity.
These days the issue of restrictions on certain species of bluefish during pregnancy, lactation and childhood due to its high levels of mercury is very topical. Didn't you know this before? Why has the alarm sounded now?
The alarm has jumped when abnormally high levels of mercury have been detected in these animals, the result of contamination of our seas and the animals that live there.
Mercury accumulates in the fatty part of animals, so they tend to have larger amounts of longer-lived fish and those that in turn feed on other smaller fish (which in turn could have high levels of mercury ). Possibly a few years ago we were not alert because we did not have these levels of contamination.
Consumption of certain green leafy vegetables has also been restricted by nitrates. What are the risks of nitrates for the body?
The formation of a potentially carcinogenic component, called "nitrosamines." However, very high consumption is necessary to reach toxic levels. They are water-soluble compounds, so proper washing of vegetables can reduce their presence.
Are these substances found in other foods?
Nitrates and nitrites are used as an additive in cured raw products to prevent the development of clostridium botulinum and its toxins.
Dietary Reference Recommendations
What are the recommendations for dietary intakes?
To have a reference of the amount that we should ingest of each nutrient, to maintain optimal health and prevent future complications, related to food. Depending on sex, age and physiological situation, among other factors, we need more or less quantity of different types of nutrients.
Therefore, dietary recommendations are prepared for different population groups, taking into account these mentioned factors. If there is also an additional individual situation, recommendations should be adapted as they are. For example, for a person with anemia, it would be advisable to increase the intake of iron and related nutrients (folic acid and / or vitamin B12) above the recommended values for that person in health conditions.
In the blog we have talked about the great variety of IDR worldwide, precisely referring to a text in which you participated as an author.
Do you think it would be necessary to unify them? Why?
Indeed there are various recommendations. It would be good to make a unifying effort but not absolute. The particularities of each area and each population must be respected. For example, it is reasonable that the recommendation of vitamin D is higher in Nordic countries, where they hardly have hours of sun than in countries where the sun shines a lot, since the population of the latter will synthesize additional amounts of this vitamin thanks to the sun effect.
Regarding the recommendations we read in the "Dietary Reference Intakes (IDR) for the Spanish Population, 2010", what criteria have been taken as the basis?
For each nutrient, the following process has been carried out: first, the recommended intakes of those countries, which were supported by a solid methodology, have been selected to subsequently calculate an intermediate value between all these values, based on statistical criteria.
Nutrition recommendations during pregnancy and lactation
Could you summarize what are the special nutrition recommendations during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the physiological demands of many nutrients increase, especially those related to the formation of new tissues and structures.
In general, we could say that the nutrients whose demand increases in a special way are: folic acid, vitamin B12, iron and iodine. Also of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins D, C and B6.
And during breastfeeding?
During lactation, the physiological demands of many nutrients also increase, especially those related to milk production.
In general, we could say that the nutrients whose demand increases in a special way are: vitamins B12, B6, C, A, E pantothenic acid and biotin, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper and chromium. The requirements for folic acid, vitamin D and magnesium are also high.
Finally, we would like to talk about a topic that often worries us in the blog: that of childhood obesity. In this sense, what is your opinion about the new Food Security Law in Spain?
Everything that helps to educate our children nutritionally seems very positive to me.
And what better place to educate than schools, one of the main objectives of this law. Until very recently (and not yet the entire population), we have been aware of the great impact that food has on our health. Hopefully, from now on we will all be more and more aware that food does influence, and much, on health in the medium and long term.
We thank Marta Cuervo for her kindness to answer these questions and leave us her opinion on the proposed topics. We hope that the interviews we give you from Babies and more You may find it interesting to learn more about the care of the whole family, and this especially about nutrition and its importance in health.
