World Food Day is observed every year on October 16. The day is dedicated to create awareness about the importance of healthy diet, and highlight the challenges faced by millions of people across the globe due to lack of access to healthy food.
World Food Day provides a platform for advocating actions to combat worldwide hunger, enhance accessibility to nourishing food, endorse sustainable agricultural practices, emphasize the need to minimize food wastage, and underscore the importance of eradicating malnutrition.
As Nigerians join the world in marking the ‘world food day” Blueprint looks at top nourishing, healthy, easily accessible and budget-friendly delicacies a typical Nigerian should try:
Moi-Moi
Made from beans, Moi-Moi is high in protein and contains fibre. In fact, this delicious Nigerian dish also has other nutrients, depending on the combination of the ingredients used during preparation. They are extremely adaptable, and you can eat them with vegetables. Keep in mind that proteinous foods like Moi Moi are only necessary for good health, but they are also the most filling macronutrient. The dish might keep you feeling full and pleased, which helps you maintain healthy body weight.
Vegetable soup
This popular and delicious Nigerian soup is made from dark, leafy greens such as Spinach, which has some powerful health benefits. Eating spinach may have health benefits such as increasing blood glucose management in diabetics, lowering the risk of cancer, and enhancing bone health. Vegetables are made with a substantial amount of spinach, pepper, spices and some meats such as lamb, beef, chicken, fish, etc. The soup goes well with rice, wheat, and amala.
Beans
Beans are a healthy and easily accessible food in Nigeria. They can be found in all kinds of meals from Ewa aganyin and Ewa alata to bean porridge and bean cakes. All of them provide lots of protein while being low in calories. Interesting fact, beans are also a fantastic fiber source.
Ekuru
Ekuru is a very common native cuisine of the Yoruba people in Nigeria. It is usually prepared with peeled beans.
It is similar to moin-moin as both are made from peeled black-eyed peas or, occasionally, cowpeas. However, unlike moi-moi which is mixed with pepper and other ingredients before steaming, Ekuru is wrapped up in leaves or tin cans (similar to moi-moi) and steamed.
It is often prepared in the same way as ordinary moin moin but does not include any additional ingredients. It has a white color and tastes like stew. It goes well with solid pap.
It is served with fried pepper stew and then mashed up with pepper stew.
Ekuru has all the proteins and energy sustaining power more than many other diets. It is proteinous, light, refreshing, and great for weight loss
Akara served with pap
Akara, also known also fried bean cakes are snacks. This snack can be eaten at any time of day with pap (fermented corn starch), bread and cornstarch (agidi or eko).
Eating akara helps in promoting good health, prevents diabetes (excess sugar in the blood), cancer and premature aging. Intake of this food helps children to attain maximum growth and development. Menstruating women, who are at risk for iron deficiency, can also benefit from eating akara. It is also an ideal food for pregnant women to help produce a healthy baby.
While pap is an extract from maize, a carbohydrate element.
Pap is prepared using the raw, fermented starch from ground white or yellow maize. It is a good source of calories and carbohydrates. Being a complex carbohydrate, cornstarch intake provides energy to the body and also brings significant weight gain in children.
