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Background and Objectives: Intake of fruits as snacks for diabetic patients is usually encouraged, but there is the challenge of overconsumption and the inability to estimate the appropriate quantity to eat at a time. A photographic food atlas of three banana varieties (red Dacca, Gros Michel, and green mutant species) consumed in Enugu state, Nigeria, was developed using edible portions of foods that would supply a specific amount of carbohydrates (10g, 15g, 20g, 30g, and 45g) and their energy content was also calculated. Methods: The banana varieties were obtained from banana vendors in Nsukka local markets. The samples were analyzed for proximate (moisture, protein, carbohydrates, ash, fat, and crude fibre) composition using standard methods. The energy content was calculated using Atwater factors for carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Standardized photographs of each carbohydrate portion size (10g, 15g, 20g, 30g, and 45g) of the selected banana variety were captured, and their weights were recorded. The photographs were formatted on A4 size paper, with each page containing 5 photographs. Results: Red dacca had the highest (19.5g/100g) carbohydrate content which is the least (12.3g/100g) in the green mutant. The carbohydrate contents of red dacca and gros Michel species are comparable (p > 0.05) but significantly (p < 0.05) lower in green mutant species. Energy is highest (125 kcal/100g) in green mutant and least (95 kcal/100g) in gros Michel. The photographic food atlas developed contains 15 photographs of three banana varieties. Conclusion: This study developed a veritable visual aid for dietary counselling of diabetic patients. The tool is suitable for estimating portion sizes of banana, their carbohydrate and energy content.

Increased consumption of unhealthy processed foods, particularly those high in sodium, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The nutrition information on packaged foods can help guide consumers toward products with less sodium and support government actions to improve the healthiness of the food supply. The aims of this study were to estimate the proportion of packaged foods displaying nutrition information for sodium and other nutrients specified by Nigerian nutrition labelling regulations and to determine the amount of sodium in packaged foods sold in Nigeria using data from the nutritional information panel. Data were collected from November 2020 to March 2021 from in-store surveys conducted in supermarkets in three states. A total of 7039 products were collected. Overall, 91.5% (n = 6439) provided only partial nutrition information, 7.0% (n = 495) provided no nutritional information, and only 1.5% (n = 105) displayed a nutrient declaration that included all nutrients specified by 2019 Nigerian regulations. Some form of sodium content information was displayed for 86% of all products (n = 6032), of which around 45% (n = 2689) expressed this as ‘salt’ and 59% (n = 3559) expressed this as ‘sodium’, while a small number of food products had both ‘salt’ and ‘sodium’ content (3.6%). Provision of sodium or salt information on the label varied between food categories, ranging from 50% (vitamins and supplements, n = 2/4) to 96% (convenience foods, n = 44/46). Food categories with the highest median sodium content were ‘meat and meat alternatives’ (904 mg/100 g), ‘sauces, dressings, spreads, and dips’ (560 mg/100 g), and ‘snack foods’ (536 mg/100 g), although wide variation was often observed within categories. These findings highlight considerable potential to improve the availability and consistency of nutrition information on packaged products in Nigeria and to introduce further policies to reduce the amount of sodium in the Nigerian food supply.