Every single day, Nigeria loses about 145 women of childbearing age, making her the second largest contributor to the maternal mortality rate in the world, according to UNICEF. One of the first things women learn when they’re pregnant is what they can’t eat. There are many complications that can arise from eating the wrong food during pregnancy. That’s […]
Okpa is a widely consumed food, it is known as Epa-Roro in Yoruba, Kwaruru or Gurjiya in Hausa. The English name of okpa is steamed bambara bean pudding because it is made from the bambara bean flour. Bambara bean is a grain legume or pulses also called bambara nut, it belongs to the family Leguminosae […]
Scent leaf also known as basil leaf is a herb that is widely used for its culinary and medicinal benefits. Scent leaf is commonly used for stomach problems such as spasms, loss of appetite, intestinal gas, diarrhea, constipation, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. In Nigeria, […]
Suya or tsire is a popular spicy meat skewer which is a popular food item in Nigeria and most parts of West Africa. It is also eaten in Sudan, referred to as “Agashe”. Suya is generally made with skewered beef, ram, or chicken. Innards such as kidney, liver and tripe are also used. However, […]
Catfish is one of the most popular source of protein in Africa. As one the oldest and most widespread fish species, this fish adapt so well to their environment that they thrive worldwide, with the exception of a few places with extremely low or high temperatures. The name catfish refers to the long barbels, or […]
Popularly known as Dabino in Nigeria, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) has been known for as long as recorded history. Apart from its importance as a food source for man and animals, all parts of the plant have their use in medicine, pharmacognosy, chemistry, and religion, and in the fishing, horticulture, and construction industries. Dabino […]
Pumpkin leaf is a dark green leafy vegetable found in the tropics, rich in water, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium, vitamins A, K and folate. It is scientifically known as Cucurbita moschata Duchesne. It is used for various soups in the West African sub-region. Squash & Pumpkin leaves are indeed edible. In many parts […]
Alligator pepper also known as Atare (in Yoruba), Chitta (Hausa) or Guinea Pepper mbongo spice, or hepper pepper is a West African spice made from the seeds and seed pods of Aframomum danielli. It is a close relative of grains of paradise, obtained from the closely related species, Aframomum melegueta. Unlike grains of paradise, which […]
Fufu is an essential food in most of West Africa, and it followed enslaved West Africans when they came to the Caribbean. It is often described as having a slightly tart and sour taste. It’s eaten across West Africa, in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone and more, and it pairs well with […]
Pounded yam is one of the most important foods in Nigeria. This food is made from yam, a perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in many temperate and tropical regions, especially in Africa. With advances in technology, we don’t have to go through the stress of pounding yams using mortar […]
