11 Swallows and Their Health Benefits

Eating good food can define our life. In the wake of various illnesses and various health problems such as cancer, diabetes etc it is important for individuals to watch what they eat. As you take care of your physical looks, it’s very important to care for what you put inside too.  In Nigeria we have locally made foods that are rich with healthy traditional recipes. One of the traditional food we have in Nigeria is the ‘Swallow’.  Swallow in Nigeria is usually a starchy food  eaten with different kinds of soups. It is called swallow because of the way it’s eaten; you cut a small fraction of it, roll it into a ball, dip it in the soup and Swallow). Here are some popular Nigerian swallows with their nutritional benefits:

1.) Eba, is made from grated and dried cassava, and is also popularly called GARRI. It is rich in cabohydrates and has 358 calories per 100g, It is low in other nutrients like vitamins, protein and minerals. It is called Eba when it’s made for eating but called  Garri when it’s still in the raw form. Eba can be used  for swallow and also for drinking. It’s in two (2) colours, the white and the yellow and this depends on the method of preparation. When it’s prepared without palm oil it remains white, but when prepared with palm oil it turns yellow. Eba can be taken with soups like Bitter leaf soup, ora/oha soup, egusi soup etc.

2.) Semolina, is very easy to prepare. Its particles are bristly in texture, making the swallow more textured  than that of Eba, unlike Eba it does not have a sour taste. Because of its high energy content it’s very beneficial for individuals looking to gain weight. The most popular brand of Semolina is called Semovita.

3)  Pounded yam, which is also known as Iyan is a yam recipe. It is made by boiling the yam, pounding it in a mortar until it stretches like a dough. Yam is a source of cabohydrates, it contains 356.25 calories, 80kg cabohydrates, 0.8g fat and 7g proteins per 100g.  It’s beneficial for those that want to gain weight. It can be taken with any type of soup.

4) Amala which is majorly taken by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, is prepared from yam skins. When the yam skins are processed , the flour (which is known as elubo) is white in colour but when put inside boiling water while it’s being prepared it turns brown. Amala can be prepared also from fermented cassava flour, it remains white in colour even after cooking (it’s then called amala lafun). The yam flour is more healthy than the other two, because it contains fewer calories and more protein per 100g than the cassava flour. It’s a good food for diabetic individuals. Amala can be taken with ewedu soup.

5) Wheat is another swallow that can be enjoyed especially by those that still want to maintain their  figure and not add weight. It’s a light brown swallow that is made from whole grain wheat. Wheat is high in protein and rich in fibre. It helps cleanse the colon and after digestion it facilitates the digestive process. Wheat can be taken with vegetable soup, okra soup, bitter leaf soup.

6.) Oatmeal fufu, is for those looking for a modern and healthy diet and still be able to enjoy traditional food. It contains 3.98g of fibre and is made by cooking blended whole grain oats in water till it becomes pasty. It is in the carbohydrate family and also rich in protein. Its benefits include to help reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and also stabilize blood sugar levels.

7) Dawa also Millet, contains uniquely high content of nutrients, including impressive starch levels, very high B-vitamin content, as well as calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium and so on. Millet fufu is made almost the same way as amala, tuwo and other ‘flour’ forms of swallow (fufu).

8.) Plantain fufu/ plantain amala is an alternative amala recipe. It’s made from unripe plantain, and it’s easy to make, good for the body as it’s high in nutrients. It’s prepared by cooking and blending the unripe plantain till it’s soft and in dough form. It contains adequate levels of potassium that’s important in stabilizing blood pressure. It’s also recommended for diabetic patients.

9) Tuwo shinkafa is majorly eaten in the Northern part of Nigeria. It is a thick pudding prepared from rice flour and is usually served with miyan kuka soup. It is rich in energy, it contains 80.127g carbohydrate and 366 calories per 100kg. Beneficial to people watching their cholesterol and gluten intake.

10) Starch which is made from grounding and sieving out the starch from the ground casava is rich in proteins, fat ,carbohydrates, iron, Vitamin B and C and of course starch. It is made live semovita, dawa, etc. but is more difficult to get it right. It is common food among the Delta and Edo people.

11) Cassava Fufu (Akpu) is very rich in carbohydrates and can give lots of energy. It is very low in cholesterol and contains a lot of potassium. It is made from cassava and served almost raw. All these are healthy locally made meals that can balance out the everyday junk taken. Good food enhances our lives and makes us live long! Did we leave anyone out? please let us know in the comments. ***Feature Image Credit: 9jafoodie