Amarachi Okeh
A registered dietician, Adeola Adeleye has urged Nigerians to eat more local foods, noting that they are healthy and nutritious.
She noted that contrary to popular beliefs, Nigerian foods are super healthy and contain all the required nourishments a person needs.
According to her, eating Nigerian foods can provide a person with the required daily nutrition to live long.
According to the video she shared on her official Instagram page, @askthedietician, the diet expert noted that portion control is, however, essential to getting the best benefits of the local foods.
The nutritionist, who specialises in managing health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and polycystic ovary syndrome with nutrition guidance, gave a weekly recommendation of Nigerians meals that are super healthy and meets nutritional requirements.
She said, “Some foods to eat to live long in Nigeria include eba and egusi soup. This is because egusi contains some healthy fats that help prevent heart diseases.”
And according to somiigbene.com, an online prediabetes nutritionist, egusi seed is a rich source of protein and omega-6 fatty acids. Similar to most plant oils, it mainly contains unsaturated fatty acids. Its seed oil is a good source of natural antioxidants like vitamin E and ß-carotene.
Egusi seed is a good source of potassium and calcium, minerals that regulate blood pressure. It is also a rich source of magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc.
Speaking further, Adeleye said, Nigerians should eat yam “because it is very high in fibre and can prevent diabetes and high cholesterol.
“Beans could be eaten three times a week. Beans are full of fibre, serve as vegetables and are also a great source of protein.
“Fish, twice a week, especially fatty fish,” she added, “This is because they contain omega 3 which prevents heart disease.”
According to the American Heart Association, some of the best fatty fish are herring, mackerel, black cod, salmon, sardines, bluefin tuna, whitefish, striped bass and cobia.
“Eggs should be eaten four times a week, except in some conditions,” she said, noting that eggs also contain vitamin D, and lutein which is great for the eyes.
She further urged Nigerians to add vegetables to their meals as either soups or salad daily stressing that vegetables can help prevent cancer as they contain antioxidants.
She also advocated for the consumption of fruits, noting that Nigerians should embrace fruit consumption at least once daily because they are a good source of antioxidants and could thus help prevent diseases
She also encouraged people to eat a variety of grains like rice, pasta, bulgur, and corn four times a week because they contain B vitamins which help supply energy to the body.
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