Henrietta Ugwu, the Nutrition Officer, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, says snail meat helps in reducing malnutrition.
Ugwu stated this in interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Enugu.
She said the reduction was because snail meat corrects iron deficiency in children and pregnant women.
The nutritionist explained that pregnant women and children whose diets contain snail would definitely be healthy.
Ugwu said that snail meat, which is also white meat, contains protein and polyunsaturated fatty acid, iron, Vitamin A, Calcium, zinc and folate.
She pointed out that it also contains healthy essential fatty acids, adding that the high-protein, low-fat content of snail meat makes it a healthy alternative food.
According to her, snails contain non-harmful fatty acid in the body as well as protein which helps in building blocks for haemoglobin.
“Snail meat is a source of protein which is an important building block for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood in our body.
“It is low in calories and high in protein like any other animal derived protein; the protein in snail is complete which means it contains the amino acid that is expected to be derived from a diet,” she said.
