Pr. Julius Oben Exhorts Higher Women Consortium to Consume Red Palm Oil

Prof. Julius Oben Exhorts Higher Women Consortium to Consume Red Palm Oil

The Co-founder and President of the J&A Oben Foundation, Professor Julius Oben, has exhorted the Higher Women Consortium to promote import substitution by consuming and creating awareness of the benefits of red palm oil.

He highlighted this while speaking to the higher women consortium, an association made up of female scientists, on the topic “Palm Oil: Let’s Stop Being Naive" on Friday, the 20th of September 2024.

Highlighting the benefits of red palm oil to the women, Professor Oben said, “Red palm oil is still known as "red gold" for the benefits and opportunities it offers. It is a versatile and natural oil renowned for its rich nutritional profile; abundant in essential vitamins and antioxidants, making it a powerful ally in supporting overall well-being."“ Unfortunately, most Cameroonians prefer imported and/or processed refined oils, which are often very expensive.

Stating the importance of the precious liquid on health, Professor Julius Oben opined that red palm oil is an excellent source of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, and proposed its use for the prevention of vitamin A deficiency in Cameroon. “Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a public health problem in Cameroon, prevalent in 4 regions. It compromises immune function, hinders child growth and development, and increases the risk of mortality, particularly among children and pregnant women. To combat vitamin A deficiency, the Ministry of Public Health, with the support of international partners, has focused on vitamin A supplementation (VAS) for over 15 years, using imported and expensive vitamin A capsules from a single manufacturer.

These capsules are administered to children twice a year, costing the country billions of francs annually, and are not a sustainable option. Any logical thinking mind will know that if such an intervention has not reversed the trend of vitamin A deficiency for such a long time, other solutions and possibilities should be exploited. If other options had not been considered in the past, this is the time to do so,” he said. “It is time that the government tells its international partners that they will use their locally produced palm oil as well as readily available vitamin A-rich foods to fight and to prevent rather than treat vitamin A deficiency,” he asserted. Professor Oben told the women that red palm oil is widely available across regions and usually at a relatively low cost, making it more accessible to vulnerable populations in VAD-prone areas. “In areas where red palm oil is not part of their habitual diets, nutrition education and minor lifestyle adjustments can fill the gap. It has worked in other countries; there is no reason why it shouldn’t work here,” he said.

To prove that the red palm oil is a precursor to Vitamin A, Professor Julius Oben shared a pilot study on vitamin A conducted by the J&A Oben Foundation in the north of Cameroon among 40 school-aged children. “We gave 20 children soyinga chips (made up of soybeans, red palm oil, moringa, and potato flour), a product of JAOF Functional Foods, and 20 children potato chips for 6 weeks, with each child receiving 25 grams of biscuits for a day, i.e., 5 days a week, for a total of 125 grams/week. Each week, retinol was assessed in the serum of each child using a student test, and we saw a significant effect of Soyinga chips on serum retinol in children,” Professor Julius said.

The presentation ended with a question-and-answer session, which left the higher women consortium quite convinced of the important role palm oil has in promoting wellness and longevity.