Mario Pestano will explain the virtues of gofio in Lanzarote schools

The Spanish discus throwing champion is in charge of giving the informative talks of the project "El Gofio, Olympic Breakfast"

EKN

February 10 2025 (13:58 WET)
Mario Pestano in one of the talks. Gofio. Food. Image: social media.
Mario Pestano in one of the talks. Gofio. Food. Image: social media.

The project "El Gofio, Olympic Breakfast", which has been explaining the benefits of this Canarian superfood to students in Tenerife and Gran Canaria since last October, will arrive in Lanzarote.

This was confirmed by the Canarian Ministers of Education and Agriculture, who have just signed an agreement through which the initiative is extended to the other islands.

The campaign consists of informative talks aimed at students given by Mario Pestano, Spanish discus throwing champion and prominent Olympic athlete.

Gofio is rich in minerals, contains the nutrients of the cereal such as iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. Also in vitamins, especially of the B group, such as B1 and B2, as well as vitamins C, A and D. In addition, it is a product high in protein and carbohydrates, but low in fat.

It was the first settlers of the islands who invented this product. The first vestiges found of gofio were made with a mixture of fern roots and seeds with toasted and crushed wheat and barley grains.

With the colonization new foods arrived to the islands and especially after the conquest of America. With the arrival of millo, millo gofio became very popular.

Within the framework of this initiative, the public company GMR Canarias will deliver gofio from the "Abuelo Pancho" mill to the participating educational centers in this experience, so that it can be incorporated into their school menu.

Currently, in the Canary Islands there are 37 gofio mills, distributed in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote. The total annual production of the archipelago is 6,745 tons, of which about 5,000 tons are destined for the Canarian market and 1,707 tons are exported.

By type, 58% of gofio produced in the Canary Islands is millo. It is followed, in order of importance, by wheat (20%), cereal mixture (16%), and cereal and legume mixture (4%).

Most read