Nutrients Necessary for Disaster Foods ~ Nutritionist's Column Vol.64

People living in Japan are blessed with beautiful and abundant nature and receive many benefits.
On the other hand, Japan is also a disaster-prone country, and the reality is that we cannot avoid the threat of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity.

There is endless worry, including the typhoons that hit every year from July through to autumn, the wind and flood damage caused by heavy rain, and the major earthquake that is said to be sure to occur in the near future.

What we can do to protect ourselves against the risks of natural disasters is to prepare.
You never know when you might need to evacuate due to a sudden disaster.
You need to think about what you will need while waiting for help and until you can get home.
Disaster food is something you will need in case of an emergency and should be stockpiled.
This time, we will talk about disaster food.

Possible disaster situations

Immediately after a disaster, an emergency occurs.
In the event of a major disaster, lifelines such as electricity, gas, water, communications, and transportation will be cut off.
Naturally, convenience stores and supermarkets will be closed, and it will be difficult to obtain not only the usual food but even water.
It is generally said to take three days for lifelines to be restored.
You need food and water to get through this time.

Disaster food you should prepare

Something to prepare for in case of emergency.

First, water.
It is important to store the minimum amount of drinking water and water needed for daily life in plastic bottles or other containers.

Next, food.
Instant rice, dry bread, canned foods, retort foods, instant foods, kelp, dried fish, smoked foods, salted foods, pickled foods, pickles, jams, etc. that can be eaten immediately with just water or hot water.
Foods that can be stored for a long time and can be eaten immediately are recommended.

In Japan, where natural disasters are common, there is a wide variety of emergency food available.
Recently, many people have been using emergency food in outdoor situations such as camping and mountain climbing.
With a little ingenuity, you can replace products before their expiration date without waste.

And what's important is the amount of disaster food prepared.
It depends on the status of restoration of essential utilities, but it is generally recommended to have at least three days' worth of supplies, and if you have the means, it is a good idea to stock up on one to two weeks' worth.

Important points to keep in mind during a disaster

The first thing to keep in mind is allergies. <br data-mce-fragment="1">If you have allergies, we recommend that you stock up on disaster relief food that is suitable for your allergies in advance.
Despite rising rates of allergies among children, most disaster food is not allergy-friendly.
In fact, during the Great East Japan Earthquake, there were few allergy-friendly items among the relief supplies, which caused food problems for people with allergies.

The second thing to keep in mind is nutrients.
During a disaster, fresh food is difficult to obtain, so people tend to eat only processed foods such as instant foods and canned goods, which can lead to an unbalanced nutritional intake.

Lack of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber, can lead to health problems.
In the first few days after a disaster, the top priority must be given to replenishing energy, which is essential for survival, and once lifelines are restored, it is important to consider how to restore an unbalanced nutritional intake.

To that end, it is important to know what foods can be stockpiled and what nutrients they contain, and to make a rolling stock of them a habit .
Rolling stock is a method of always keeping a certain amount of food in the home by purchasing emergency food such as processed foods on a regular basis, consuming the oldest items first while keeping in mind their expiration date, and then buying more to replace what has been consumed.

The aforementioned outdoor use is also one method of rolling stock.
By stockpiling food while consuming it during weekend activities and daily life, you can stockpile food easily and without waste.

Disaster Food and Nutrients

Next, a list of emergency foods that take nutrition into consideration.
Please use this as a reference when choosing your daily rolling stock.

【protein】
Protein is an important nutrient for maintaining a healthy body, including building muscles and organs and producing hormones and immune components.
It is known as a nutrient that improves muscle strength, but it is also related to liver function and mental stability, so if it is deficient, it can have adverse effects on both the mind and body.

<Protein supplements that can also be used as disaster food>
Canned meat, fish, beans, etc., retort foods, freeze-dried foods, dried foods (bonito flakes and dried sardines), long-life milk, protein, etc.

[Carbohydrates]
If you don't get enough carbohydrates, you will get tired easily, your brain will not function properly, and you will feel drowsy.
The mental damage caused by stress during a disaster may also be caused by a lack of carbohydrates, which provide energy.

<Supplements that can be used as disaster food>
Pregelatinized rice, packaged rice, mochi, dried sweet potato, dried noodles, canned bread, chocolate, crackers, cereal, yokan, honey, etc.

[Fats]
Lipids are a source of energy and also serve as building blocks for the body's cell membranes, nerve tissue, and hormones.
You should be careful not to eat too much, but if you are unable to get enough energy from carbohydrates, try to consume lipids.

<Fat supplements that can be used as disaster food>
Rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, MCT oil, olive oil, etc.

【vitamin】
Vitamins and minerals help nutrients function.
It boosts your immune system, helping to protect you from infections that are common during emergencies.
Since it cannot be produced in the body, it must be obtained through diet.

<Supplements that can be used as disaster food and can provide vitamins and minerals>
Canned vegetables, vegetable and fruit juice, canned fruit, dried vegetables, dried fruit, pickled plums, etc.

【mineral】
Nutrients necessary for the smooth functioning of various reactions in the body's organs and tissues.
It helps the body's tissues react and organs function.
Like vitamins, they must be obtained from the diet.
By taking multivitamin and mineral supplements, you can make up for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

【water】
More than half of our body is made up of water.
Lack of water can cause a variety of problems in the body, including thirst, irritability, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and cramps.
Be sure to stock up on supplies in case your lifelines are cut off.

Recommended all-purpose disaster food

In the event of a disaster, it is efficient and recommended to stock up on foods that contain a balanced amount of the nutrients listed above.
Examples include green juice, energy bars, and protein blends that contain the latest superfoods.

Also, although this may be difficult depending on the scale of the disaster, soup, which can be easily made by just pouring in hot water, is also an ideal ingredient.
Warm foods are effective in maintaining body temperature and, most importantly, they warm the soul.
It might be a good idea to prepare a thermos tumbler or similar to slowly warm your body and soul.

You never know when a natural disaster will occur.
While satisfying hunger is important, I would like to convey that it is also important to prepare disaster relief food while taking into consideration nutritional balance.
I hope this will be of some help to you.

Click here to purchase GRØN's protein blend , which can also be used as a disaster food source.

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Nutritionist, Food Education Instructor, Food 6th Industrialization Producer Level 4
Ayako Ishihara

A nutritional advisor in the healthcare field and an agribusiness professional.
She is involved in a variety of activities specializing in the fields of beauty and health, including giving lectures to Miss World Japan candidates.

With the philosophy of "enriching the mind and body through food and realizing a vibrant society where people and communities are connected," he founded i-Field Co., Ltd. in 2013 and serves as its representative.
He is a core member of the food team for "DINING OUT," which opens outdoor restaurants in various regions, and also participates in fashion brand projects.
She is also involved in the promotion of local ingredients, product development and production specializing in "health" and "beauty," branding, concept design, food hygiene, sales promotion, training planning and management, etc. She is in charge of nutritional supervision for GRØN's product development, proposing ways to incorporate them more effectively into consumer health.

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