APPENDIX I NUTRITION DATA The diet of the Marshallese People breadfruit, pandanus, and rice. smaller part of the diet. consists mainly of doconut, fish, Bananas, papayas, taro and arrowroot make up a The percentage of the diet made up of will vary depending on location and season. Bach food type Naidu et. al. (1980)| reported that coconuts constitute up to 58% of the diet and fish constitute up Eo 36%. Coconuts Coconuts are grown thoughout the islands and in addition to they are the major cash crop when sold as copra. The coconut has}several uses. The unopened flower is tapped to collect the liquid which is boiled down to produce a syrup used in cooking. providing food unk fresh or It can also be allowed to ferment and then used as a beverage. The immature nut is harvested for the milk or water and used commonly as a beverage. The jellylike endosperm of the drinking nut may be eaten. This js commonly used as a babyfood. The mature endosperm or meat is eaten raw, cooked, or grated other foods. and mixed with The meat is the source of coconut oi] which is useq for cooking. This of] produced from the copra (meat) is the cash source for most] people in the Marshall Islands. The coconut takes about 12 months to mature but the treel produces new inflorescenses about every month so harvesting is fairly continuqus throughout the year. Nutrient value: Protein - 7%, Fat - 60%, CHO - 15%, Fibre - 4 Breadfruit Breadfruit is the second most important local food. eaten more like a vegetable than a fruit. They may be eaten raw butimost commonly are boiled, baked, roasted, fried, or made into soup. seasonal The fruit is usually Breadfruit production is but it can be preserved as bwiru for use during tha Breadfruit is harvested for about 4 months (May-August) but researc® being conducted by the South Pacific Commission in Suva, Fiji, and off season. is currently the University