Stop Feeding Your Kids “Mmore Koko” If You Want Them To Be Smart And Intelligent – Ghana Health Service To Mothers

Ghana Health Service has advised new mothers to stop feeding their babies with white porridge otherwise know as “mmore koko” in Ghana.

They explained that the porridge prepared from sieved maize, gets the babies drunk as a result it’s not good for them.

This delicacy has been passed on from generation to generation and classified as an ideal meal for babies due to its easy-to-prepare nature and affordability.

At least 90% of adults in Ghana were once fed with “mmore koko” when they were babies. It keeps the baby full for hours even babies who are picky eaters easily eat this food.

But according to the GHS, when the maize is kept for too long, it ferments and turns into alcohol for these babies which hinders their brain.

Mothers have therefore been advised not to serve only this porridge, and if they do they do not have to ferment the maize before feeding their babies.

Greater Accra Regional Nutritional Officer, GHS, Faustina Vimariba Tour made this known to starrfm.com.gh on the sidelines of a media workshop for journalists organized by UNICEF.

The workshop was on the theme ‘Equipping media workers with information to support media reportage on nutrition and nurturing care.
The exercise hosted some 20 journalists from media houses across the capital and had representatives from UNICEF as well as the Ghana Health Service as speakers.

Participants were also taken on a tour of the Children’s unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where they were briefed on procedures at the Antenatal Clinic, Postnatal Clinic, Child Welfare Clinic and Nutrition Department.

Madam Tour said “…some people will give only ‘Mori Koko’ and sometimes they over ferment the ‘Mori Koko’ which is the maize porridge and it becomes alcohol. So, when you feed the child with it, it means that the child ends up getting drunk because it is the alcohol you have given to the child, and when the child sleeps, the child will miss the number of times that they’re supposed to feed.”

Greater Accra Regional Nutritional Officer, GHS, Faustina Vimariba Tour
As to whether there is research to prove any long-term effects of this practice on children, she noted “we cannot really tell the alcohol percentage. but alcohol is not good for the brain development of the child so it has some effects. If it’s something they like, it should be fortified by adding other things to make it rich. Fortify it with groundnut paste, soya, etc
Also, it shouldn’t be very light but should be thick and friendly for the child. Three to four spoons is enough.”