One of the most important ways to health and personal vitality is by fuelling your body with nourishing foods. Filtering unhealthy food from your diet can feel like deprivation but focusing on adding healthy foods gives a sense of abundance and your body will thank you for it.
As Nigerians, food has been and will be always a part of our culture. With the spicy flavours and intense aromas, many people turn to Nigerian food for the potential health benefits. The incredible thing about these foods is that you don’t have to break the bank to afford them and they are easily accessible.
Here are some nutritional and vitality serving foods you can incorporate into your diet:
Ukwa(African Breadfruit)
Ukwa is a very nutrition meal commonly eaten by the Igbo in the south-eastern Nigeria. The seeds are typically roasted and eaten or can be boiled to soften them to make porridge.
African breadfruit also comes with lots of essential vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene, vitamin c and folate. One of the key benefits of Ukwa is the presence of omega 3 and 6 fatty acid, which is vital for the proper development of the mind and body.
Ugwu(Fluted Pumpkin)
One great feature of this vegetable is the fact that it can be eaten raw or cooked. Ugwu as a vegetable can be seasoned condiments to make a soup, minimally boiled and eaten plain or blended into a smoothie.
It is a rich source of iron, which aids blood production which is highly recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers. It also contains a healthy number of vitamins like thiamine, ascorbic acid and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. The fluted pumpkin leaves are a source of dietary fibre that helps in the healthy maintenance of the digestive system. It plays an important role in improving digestion thereby reducing the chances of health conditions like irritable bowel movement, constipation and gastroparesis (inability to empty the stomach properly).
Soursop
Soursop is a tropical fruit packed with an abundance of vitamin C. Protecting the immune system is one of the most components of a healthy diet. Adding soursop to your diet, either as a snack or desserts, can positively impact your overall health. Soursop also contain antioxidant properties which help prevent cell damage and could lower the risk of chronic diseases. These antioxidants are compound that help neutralize harmful compounds called free radicals in the body which can cause damage to the cell.
Beans
Beans belong to the family of legumes and they are an affordable source of protein, fibre and iron that offer many health benefits.
There are many types of beans. Dried beans need cooking to make them tender enough to eat. Canned and frozen beans are typically ready to eat after warming on the stove or in the microwave. Some of the most popular bean varieties include:
- lima beans
- black beans
- black-eyed peas
- soybeans
- kidney beans
One of the main advantages of beans is that they don’t contain much saturated fat. Saturated fat in high amounts may contribute to cardiovascular disease, so experts recommend limiting intake to 20 grams per day for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, less if your calorie intake is lower.
But beans are a great choice based not only on what they lack, but what they contain. Beans are packed with other nutrients, such as folate, calcium, potassium, zinc, B vitamins, and antioxidants.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins and minerals essential to daily health. They are high in vitamin A, particularly in the form of beta-carotene. Eating just one of them baked in the skin will give you more than four times the recommended Daily Value of the nutrient, making it one of the richest plant sources of the vitamin there is as Vitamin A is important to the health of your vision, cells, and immune system.They are also excellent sources of vitamin C, an antioxidant that plays a role in immune system health, connective tissue development, and wound healing.
All in all, eating a healthy, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. In fact, up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through your life choices and habits, such as eating a healthy diet and being physically active.
From disease risk to brain function and physical performance, a healthy diet is vital for every aspect of life and infusing one or more of the foods mentioned above in your daily meal consumption can result in an improved and healthy lifestyle.
