African salad called abacha is a staple in the South-Eastern part of our country. Made primarily out of shredded processed cassava, vegetables like African eggplant leaf and ukazi leaves and palm oil mixed with potash, it can be modified according to the cook’s taste by adding garden eggs, stockfish and meat, and even fermented African oil bean seeds popularly known as ugba/ukpaka.
For those who have not indulged in this delicacy, you are missing a lot. The dish is not cooked, which makes it healthy as a salad. We Africans tend to abandon our own staple foods for westernized food, but it has been proven repeatedly that they are healthy and delicious. If you still doubt why you should go back to your roots and indulge in this delicacy, here are five reasons why it is very healthy and relevant as a meal.
THE SHREDDED CASSAVA: cassava is high in carbohydrates and calories due to the high sucrose content. It is gluten-free, which makes it desired by patients with digestive problems. It also is rich in b-complex nutrients.
THE VEGETABLES: the anara or African eggplant leaves are rich in beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, and calcium. It also is filled with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Anara leaves are great for cellular regeneration and restoring dead cells. Ukazi, on its own, is a roughage and is good for digestive health.
OTHER ADDITIVES: Ugba is a protein staple, making the African salad well rounded nutritionally. This is the same with meat and fish that can be added to the dish to make it more palatable.
With these and even more dietary advantages, you should make the African salad a part of your family meals and reap the benefits.
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