PANITAN , Capiz – Mothers in the third class municipality of Panitan in Capiz are learning how to be Super Nanays, thanks to efforts by the Department of Health (DoH) to boost its FOURmula One (F1) Health Program in the province, with assistance from the European Union.

“Super Nanay (super mom)” is the name of an F1 Health Program activity of the DoH which aims to improve the health system in poor barangays.

Dr. Christy Advincula, Panitan Municipal Health Officer, recently gave a crash course on “super nanay-hood” to about 40 mothers in the area focusing on nutrition as the foundation of a family’s good health. The course defined nutrition in practical terms, identifying foods and substances affordable and readily available in the community, then progressed into a cooking demonstration of nutritious, flavorful, and affordable recipes, using native ingredients. The cooks gave a creative twist to common ingredients, showing how nutritious food can be tasty as well.

“Mothers are Super Nanays because they are real-life heroes who ensure the physical and mental health of their children as they grow up. Their daily heroic efforts are very closely tied in to the food they serve and their nutritional value. Mothers’ efforts in their kitchens make healthy and productive Filipino families,” Dr. Advincula said.

So what does it take for an ordinary mother to become a Super Nanay? The DOH introduced the following interesting and nutritious fare:

The first recipe was wetwet, a snack with banana chunks, kamote (sweet potato) and tapioca balls in a coconut milk sauce. Insumix (which stands for indigenous supplementary mix) was used to thicken the sauce and to give it added nutritional value. Nutritionist Ms. Sharon Dumali explained that Insumix is made of rice, mongo beans and sesame seeds, processed together in an easy-to-dissolve powder form. It was initially formulated for undernourished infants to help them gain and maintain proper weight.