Gofio canario: a very nutritious food for children 2026

If you have ever traveled to the Canary Islands and enjoyed some typical foods of the archipelago, it is likely that you have already encountered one of the most popular and characteristic foods: the traditional Canarian gofio. It consists, as we will see, of a wonderful and nutritious food, widely consumed on the islands by children, young people and also adults.

These islands, located about 60 miles off the African coast, have for centuries received culinary influence from a wide variety of places: the Iberian Peninsula, Africa and Latin America, among them. This is why it is often said that this autonomous community has one of the most original cuisines in Spain.

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Do you know what canary gofio is? What does it consist of?

Elgofio canario has a peculiarity that it shares with few foods in the Mediterranean diet: it can be used, at the same time, in sweet and savory dishes. In addition, it can be added to coffee with milk, broths or stews, fish dishes, or combined with almonds and raisins to create a traditional dish: the kneaded dish.

Endemic to the Canary Islands, gofio is a ground grain similar to whole wheat flour, usually wheat or corn, which is roasted completely by hand. Its shade, in fact, varies depending on both its exact composition and the degree to which it has finally been toasted. For this reason, it is possible to find gofio with darker or more yellowish tones on the market.

In fact, such is its importance that it was characterized by being the basic food of the ancient aborigines of the islands (the Guanches), and it became a vital element when other foods were scarce, especially in times of famine (as occurred after the Civil War, where the scarcity of certain foods and rationing was the general trend of daily life).

What nutritional benefits does Canarian gofio offer?

One of the main characteristics that define gofio is its natural origin and without additives, preservatives or colorings. The production process continues to be, to this day, completely natural and artisanal: the grain is completely ground until obtaining this fine flour.

From a nutritional point of view, it has a high content of vitamins and minerals. For example, it provides interesting amounts of B vitamins (such as B1, B2 and B3), as well as minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, zinc and potassium.

It also provides equally interesting amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, amino acids and dietary fiber. In addition, it stands out for being extremely low in fat, which is why its inclusion in children's diet is highly recommended.

A study carried out by the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC) between 2007 and 2014, and in which data was collected from a thousand patients between 70 and 80 years of age who presented symptoms of chest pain (who were asked to perform a stress test), discovered that those individuals who had consumed gofio regularly for at least 40 years had a lower risk of suffering from coronary artery disease, a better ability functional, and a higher proportion when passing stress tests.

In this way, it was concluded that prolonged intake of gofio, over time, would help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Nutritional composition per 100 grams of gofio:

• Energy: 399 kcal / 1661 kJ
• Carbohydrates: 81.6 g
• Protein: 10.8 g
• Fat: 2.5 g
• Fat (of which saturated): 0.51 g
• Water: 8g
• Fiber: 1.9
• Iron: 5.73 mg
• Magnesium: 97 mg
• Phosphorus: 371.6 mg
• Zinc: 3.35 mg
• Vitamin A: 0.17 µg
• Vitamin B1: 0.1 mg
• Vitamin B2: 0.02 mg
• Vitamin B3: 4.45 mg
• Vitamin C: 6.4 mg

Some delicious ways to eat gofio

Elgofio is a tremendously versatile food, which can be added to the child's diet in an extremely simple, as well as delicious, way. Simply add a tablespoon or two to a bowl or bowl of milk, or enjoy it in a wide variety of preparations. Here we tell you how you can do it:

• Gofio with milk. It is the simplest, simplest and, above all, quickest option. If the little one already drinks formula or cow's milk, and has also started eating cereals, you can add one or two tablespoons of gofio to the milk. In the Canary Islands, for example, it is common to add gofio to the child's bottle, which the child usually enjoys quite happily (in fact), since this toasted cereal gives the milk a characteristic flavor that the little one tends to really like.

• Kneaded gofio. For slightly older children, another ideal option is to enjoy it in the form of gofio pellets. And what does it consist of? Basically it is gofio mixed with olive oil, almonds, water and honey (to give it a certain sweet flavor), which is shaped into a dense tube, and served cut into slices or discs. It can become an excellent option for a child's snack, as well as being very nutritious, especially if he or she is a little older and can eat honey (although if you don't want to add sugar or honey, you can substitute any sweetener with raisins or dates).