There are different food Recipes for different famous Nigerian dishes. For example, we have food recipes for Ulcer and Diabetic Patients. There are also food recipes to gain weight and also for weight loss, there are different recipes for reducing blood pressure. Before food can be prepared, it is important to note what type and proportion of some specific ingredients is needed in the preparation of the food. This decision taken and followed is what we know as RECIPES. Recipes are a set of instructions used for the preparation of specific foods, dishes, or drinks.
The purpose of a recipe is to know what ingredient to use, amount needed and the steps to follow when using these ingredients to prepare the food.
Here in Nigeria, there are certain foods that are well known in Africa, especially here in Nigeria. Below are the famous Nigerian Dishes:
- Jollof rice
- Pounded yam
- Amala
- Ogbono soup
- Pepper soup
- Porridge
- Egusi soup
- Eba
- Beans
- Okra soup
- Moi moi, and so on
Many of these foods have gone beyond Africa to the western world, which has made it highly recognized and eaten in countries within that region. The influence of Nigerians who are in the western part of the world has made it possible for our local foods to be in these countries. That is why we now have statements like
Famous Nigerian Continental Dishes
However, in this article, we would focus more on the different food recipes that can be taken to serve as an aid in curbing some health conditions.
Food Recipes for Diabetic Patients
Diabetes is a very chronic disease that causes high blood sugar levels in the body. This means that starchy or sugary foods, fatty meals, alcohol, smoking, must be avoided. A diabetic patient should do well to eat plenty of vegetables, eat fruits, and drink plenty of water. That a person is diabetic does not mean he or she should eat boring foods because there are a lot of healthy and interesting meals that can be taken without increasing the sugar level.
Below is a list of Nigerian food recipes that can be taken by a diabetic patient:
- Nigerian Soup: Edika Ikong, Vegetable Soup, Waterleaf soup, Ogbono soup, Egusi soup, Okra soup, Afang soup. Bitter leaf soup, Green amaranth soup.
- Swallow Foods: Wheatmeal fufu, Guinea corn fufu, Unripe plantain fufu.
- Stews: Tomato stew, Garden egg stew, Smoked fish sauce, Shrimp sauce, Fresh fish sauce, Shredded chicken sauce, bitter leaf sauce.
- Snacks: Tiger nuts, Pear, Akara, Coconuts, Garden eggs with peanut butter, boiled groundnuts.
- Low carbohydrate meals: Brown basmati rice and stew, unripe plantain porridge, Beans and wheat bread, Beans and plantain porridge, Roasted plantain with Fish sauce, Moi Moi.
- Pepper Soup Foods: Peppered snail, Liver sauce, Isi ewu, Nkwobi, Fish pepper soup, Chicken pepper soup, Gizzard pepper soup, Cow tongue, Cow leg, Snail pepper soup, Peppered snail.
- Healthy drinks: Zobo with no flavor, Guinea corn (Dawa) kunu, Millet (joro) kunu, Yogurt with no flavor.
Food Recipes to Lower Blood Pressure
According to mayoclinic.org, High blood pressure (also known as HYPERTENSION) is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against the artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. High blood pressure could also lead to stroke and kidney disease. Preventing hypertension from happening is the best cure for it because it does not have any symptoms, unlike other health related conditions. People with high blood pressure can easily go about their day-to-day activities without knowing that they have the disease. This is why it is advised that our blood pressure needs to be checked regularly just to know our blood pressure.
Moreso, if you already have high blood pressure, one way to prevent it is by making adequate changes to your diet. There is a term known as DASH used by medical professionals. This stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
Questions arise as to what food recipes are good for a patient with high blood pressure. Below is a list of such foods.
Oatmeal
Taking oatmeal more often for breakfast should be a priority at this particular stage of the patient’s health. This is because of the nutrients present in this food. Oatmeal contains fiber. What fiber does is to reduce the sodium levels in the body of a high blood pressure patient. Oatmeal can also be served in its swallow form. It can be eaten with healthy Nigerian soups.
Vegetables
As a high blood pressure patient, you just must love taking vegetables. Vegetables come in different forms which gives the opportunity to choose whichever you find enjoyable. There are vegetables like lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and many more. These vegetables could be added to other dishes, but it is important to note that when cooking the vegetable or meal, it would not lose its nutrients.
It is also important to avoid canned vegetables as a hypertensive patient because they contain some additives that might not be helpful to your health.
Potatoes
There is a need for the blood vessels of a hypertensive patient to be relaxed and a nutritious element that helps in doing that is potassium. Asides the fact that potatoes are sweet, they are also rich in potassium. Also, potatoes are rich in magnesium, which gives nitric oxides that also helps to relax the blood vessels. Increasing the intake of potatoes would reduce your blood pressure level. Please, avoid fried potatoes.
Beans
Beans also contain potassium and magnesium.
Fruits
Fruits are rich in minerals and nutrients which your body needs as a high blood pressure patient. Adding fruits like bananas, almonds, cashews, oranges, in your diets would help lower your blood pressure levels. Fruits that contain potassium are highly recommended.
Nuts
Nuts such as pistachios, tiger nuts, cashew nuts and dates can be eaten by a hypertensive patient.
Fatty fish
I will highly recommend that as a hypertensive patient, you eat more salmon and fatty fish because they are a good source of animal protein.
Food Recipes for Ulcer Patients
Ulcers can be characterized as open sores that have developed on the lining of the small intestine or duodenum because of actions of bacteria or prolonged use of certain medications. An ulcer patient cannot just eat anything he or she pleases to eat because not everything they eat would do their health a benefit. Therefore, we are going to consider a few food recipes that ulcer patients can take conveniently.
Vegetables
Vegetables contain nutrients that best soothe stomach pain. Vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins A, B, C, E, and k, and minerals like zinc, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and calcium.
Fish and Egg
Fishes like mackerel, herring, salmon, and sardines are preferable because they contain a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids which help in protecting the small intestine lining from attack by the digestive acid.
Eggs are also needed because they provide the body with protein that is needed to rebuild the mucous lining.
Ulcer patients should endeavor that they do not take fried eggs.
Unripe Plantain
This is a huge source of iron, potassium, calcium and phosphorus with a good amount of starch that works with the body.
It should be boiled, pounded, mashed and preferably, eaten with vegetables. Please avoid eating fried plantain.
Moi Moi
It is preferable to beans because it does not lead to heartburn or acid flux.
Please, avoid adding excessive spices while cooking your moi moi. Others include
- Pap
- Honey
Food Recipes to Gain Weight
The reason for weight gain cannot be overemphasized on. People purposely want to gain weight for reasons like aliment recovery, smallish looks, building muscles, etc.
It is important to know your body max index (BMI) which should be a guide on how much weight you need to gain.
Body Mass Index is a measure of whether you are a healthy weight for your height.
Hence, there are certain foods that help in weight gain in Nigeria. Below are some of these foods.
- Beans and Rice
- Nigerian swallows (fufu, eba, amala, semovita, pounded yam, tuwo shinkafa) combined with quality soup.
- Fruits
- Smoothies and Milkshakes
- Meat
- Milk
- Whole-wheat bread
- Snacks
- Eggs
- Tubers
- Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
Food Recipes for Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, there are certain Nigerian foods that can be eaten to achieve that.
The major action to take is by substituting high-carb dishes for their low-carb alternatives.
Low-carb is a high fat, and medium protein diet that enables anyone to lose weight effortlessly.
Below is a list of low-carb foods that aids weight loss.
- Jollof rice,
- Peppered goat meat,
- Nigerian Egg stew,
- Baked Whole Catfish,
- Cabbage fufu + Egusi soup or Ogbono soup,
- Peppered gizzard,
- Spinach stew – Efo riro,
- Chicken stew,
- Peppered Snail,
- Egusi soup,
- Ogbono soup,
- Ofada stew,
- Fish stew,
- Pepper soup, and so on.
Before I put this article to bed, some food recipes or ingredients are bought canned. Meanwhile, there has been a lot of confusion as regards whether canned foods are bad or not.
This would drive us to the next point – facts about canned foods.
Facts about Canned Foods
Firstly, canning is a way of preserving foods for a long period of time just by packing it in an airtight container. Canned foods are thought to be less nutritious, but the truth is that canning preserves most of a food’s nutrients. Furthermore, canned foods are affordable, convenient and do not spoil easily which makes storing them for a long time very possible.
Meanwhile, canned foods may contain some amount of BPA (bisphenol A). This is a chemical that is used in food packaging, especially cans. Research shows that BPA in the cans can migrate into the food it contains. A large amount of BPA can cause heart disease, type 2 diabetes and male sexual dysfunction. So, if you are trying to avoid BPA, please stay away from canned foods.
In addition, canned foods may contain deadly bacteria just like Clostridium botulinum. Eating food that is contaminated can lead to paralysis and death if not treated. Actually, the risk of contamination is low.
Some of these canned foods contain added salt, sugar, or preservatives. This is done to improve the texture, flavor, and appearance of the food. While this is not problematic to some people, it is for some, especially people with high blood pressure. To make the right choice, it is better to always read the label and ingredient list. This would help you know if a certain canned food is suitable for your health condition.
The summary of the whole gist is that canned foods can be nutritious when fresh foods are not available. So, they can be a part of a healthy diet, but it is important to read labels to choose accordingly.
Food Recipe Network in Nigeria
- Nigerian Food Networks
- Food Network Nigeria
- Nigerian Food TV
- All Nigerian Recipes
- AfriFood Network
All these are food networks that you can log on to just for getting necessary information as regards what food recipe is soothing for your health.
Conclusively, when it comes to your body, it is important to take in good food that is soothing to your body. Also, not every food you come across will work for your body which means that you must understand your body and know whatever health condition you have. These would help you make good decisions as regards what to eat and what not.
