The National Federation of Teachers’ Unions said children should be dissuaded from eating a spicy jelly-like snack from China that has become big hit among elementary-school students.
An elementary-school teacher recently wrote on Facebook that the savory “Konjac Shuang” snack from China contains extremely high levels of sodium and several additives, and that eating too much of it could adversely affect children’s health.
While some teachers are discouraging consumption of the snack, some students have taken to eating it secretly in the toilets, the teacher wrote, urging schools and parents to do more to stop students from eating it.
Photo: CNA
Konjac is a low-carb, high-fiber root vegetable often used to make a type of flour, and it is considered a health food.
However, clinic director Wang Chieh-li (王介立) wrote on Facebook that Konjac Shuang is a highly processed product that is high in fat and contains more than 1g of sodium for each 100g serving.
Federation president Hou Chun-liang (侯俊良) on Monday said that if teachers have nutrition and health concerns about some foods, they can explain their adverse health effects to students.
There is no need to worry if students occasionally try new snacks, but if they eat too much or the foods are harmful to their health, schools and teachers should take measures to restrict consumption, Hou said.
Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海), an attending physician at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s Department of Nephrology, said the product’s 1g of sodium per 100g serving approaches the daily recommended limit for children.
The recommended daily sodium intake for children aged one to three is 1.2g, increasing to 1.5g for those aged four to eight, 1.8g for those aged nine to 13 and 2.3g for those aged 14 to 18, Yen said.
Ingesting too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, Yen said, adding that a small pack of Konjac Shuang contains more than 200mg of sodium.
Food and Drug Administration data showed that 515,483kg of Konjac Shuang was imported from China from Jan. 1 last year to Oct. 31.
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