After reviving the dense and nutrient-rich Nutribun of the ’70s, the Department of Science and Technology is back with a new variant for their enhanced nutribun (E-Nutribun): kamote or sweet potato.
The DOST Food and Nutrition Research Institute announced the addition to their E-Nutribun line earlier this week.
“The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) locally known as ‘kamote’ is a delicious, nutrient-rich root vegetable that is affordable, easily available, and well-loved by many Filipinos,” DOST secretary Fortunato de la Peña wrote on Facebook.
Revived to curb child malnutrition amid COVID-19, the institute first launched the E-Nutribun squash variant in July 2020, followed by the carrot variant in April this year.
According to DOST, the sweet potato E-Nutribun contains 507 calories and is an excellent source of natural fiber, energy, protein, iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc, with zero trans-fatty acids and no cholesterol.
First introduced in the 1970s, the Nutribun was an initiative of USAID Nutrition that gained popularity across elementary school feeding programs in the country to fight child malnourishment.
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