Nutrition
Asaba: The berry that makes everything sweet
Ghanaians have always been addicted to football and over the years the only thing that has changed about our passion for the game of football is our new found romance with football cooked in other countries.
We would even go to bed on an empty stomach when Asante Kotoko our favourite club lost a game. Over 35 years ago, we played counters ball and gutter-to-gutter with “socks ball”; anyone who has played socks ball before will tell you the menace associated with playing this game close to a well endowed gutter.
This was the time when GBC television had no competition and FM stations had not seen the light of day. At this time we only watched “German Football” on TV and we did not use any fancy names to describe it.
This was the era when asaba the miracle berry was common in Ghana. One of the homes where we played football had a huge asaba plant and many people benefited from eating asaba and porridge without the thought of adding sugar.
Fast-forward to 2020 and it seems the western world has recognised the benefits of asaba and is fast cashing in on it while we relegate it to the background and continue to import high calorie-zero nutrient refined sugar to the detriment of our health.
This is a plant that originated from West Africa, yet we have rejected it like many others. A few years ago I read about people cultivating asaba in the Western Region who were pleading for assistance to produce and market the product.
Today, asaba has been processed commercially into easy melt tablets, freshly frozen miracle berries, miracle fruit seed oil and is even the centre of attraction in fanciful “taste tripping parties thanks to the efforts of a company owned by a Ghanaian.
COVID-19 has definitely made us conscious about making healthy choices daily, of course many of us still prefer quick fixes so we have created booming industries overnight. This is an opportunity to really assess “super” foods such as cocoa, palm, coconut, moringa and many others and asaba can’t be left out.
Asaba is a small red fruit that contains a chemical that affects taste receptors in the tongue. It makes the tongue register sour taste as sweet taste.
In addition to making everything taste sweet, it is a very low calorie fruit and its effect on the tongue may last up to an hour. One whole hour of bliss.
As with many other plant products, we need to do more work on dosing and side-effects when taken in excess, but in many scenarios it may provide the miracle that its name suggests.
- Weight Control
- This product can make sugar-free desserts, tea, bitter cocoa and other beverages taste excellent. That is a step in the right direction to managing your weight.
- Managing Diabetes
- Asaba may not lower your blood sugar directly but it is helpful in eliminating high-calorie sweeteners and sugar from your diet that in the long run will be of benefit. Children with diabetes, for instance, who crave for sweetness could seek refuge in asaba. The watch word here is “moderation” at all times.
- Role in Chemotherapy
- You may know about the taste disturbances that may be associated with the treatment of cancer. Asaba may come to the rescue here since it will make food taste sweet and help avoid starvation and weight loss that often go hand in hand with cancer and its management.
- Managing Illnesses
- We all remember taking medication especially the syrups when we were much younger; some tasted horrible and how can one get well when you do not take the medication because of the terrible taste. Make medicine time enjoyable for kids with a little asaba. You will however need to be extra cautious here since children may associate that medicine with a great taste and reach out for it on their own. As always keep medicines out of the reach of children.
- Some illnesses such as malaria, reflux disease, depression etc may be associated with a “bitter” taste in the mouth and hence we avoid food to our detriment. The miracle berry taken in moderation can make this a thing of the past. Enjoy your meals, take the appropriate dose of your medication and get well quickly.
Asaba may be helpful to people who want to reduce their consumption of sugar and improve their lifestyle by making their diet healthier. Join the campaign to make asaba a common product in our shops and markets. Can asaba like cocoa become a cash crop? Asaba may not be a super food but it can serve as a vital component of a healthy lifestyle.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/Mobissel/St. Andrews Clinic
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr Essel is a Medical Doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise.
Thought for the week – “Bitter Cocoa drink as a major component of your breakfast or dinner may help control your weight. Have a drop of Asaba before drinking and you have a winning combination.”
Reference:
- www.webmd.com
- Special Mention: Albion Mends who is extremely passionate about Asaba.
- www.miraburst.com
Every baby deserves a healthy start. But in Ghana, too many children are being born already behind, too small, too fragile, and at far greater risk than their peers. Low birth weight, defined as weighing less than 2.5 kilograms at birth, affects an estimated one in seven newborns in this country.
That is a significant proportion of children beginning life at a disadvantage, often due to preventable causes.
Children born with low birth weight face a steeply uphill journey from their very first breath. They are more susceptible to birth asphyxia, infections, hypothermia, and respiratory complications.
They are more likely to die in their first month of life. Those who survive face higher risks of stunting, impaired cognitive development, and a greater likelihood of developing non-communicable diseases including type two diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease later in life.
Low birth weight does not just harm the child today. It shapes their health for decades.
The most powerful determinant of a baby’s birth weight is what the mother eats, and how healthy she is before and during pregnancy. Research in Ghana has consistently shown that maternal anaemia, poor dietary diversity, and inadequate antenatal care are all strongly linked to low birth weight.
A study in Cape Coast found that mothers with low dietary diversity during pregnancy were significantly more likely to deliver low birth weight babies. In Northern Ghana, maternal anaemia in both the first and third trimesters of pregnancy increased the risk of low birth weight. What a woman eats is what her baby weighs.
Education matters too. Mothers with secondary or higher education have been found to be less likely to deliver a low-birth-weight baby, a difference attributed to better nutrition knowledge, improved antenatal care attendance, and healthier health-seeking behaviour overall.
This points clearly to the need for a whole-of-society response, not just a clinical one.
Ghana has made some progress on low birth weight, but the burden remains unacceptably high and in some parts of the country, it is worsening. Other important risk factors must not be overlooked.
Adolescent pregnancy, which remains prevalent in several regions, is strongly associated with low birth weight because young mothers are often still growing and competing with the fetus for nutrients.
Malaria infection during pregnancy, particularly in endemic areas of Ghana, damages the placenta and restricts nutrient transfer, further increasing the likelihood of a low-birth-weight baby.
These risk factors compound the effects of poor maternal nutrition and limited antenatal care. Leaders in government, health facilities, and communities must prioritise maternal nutrition before, during, and after pregnancy.
Reducing low birth weight is not complicated. It requires feeding mothers well, supporting them through antenatal care, ensuring access to iron-folic acid supplementation and malaria prevention during pregnancy, and treating their health as a national priority, not an afterthought.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
Cabbage may not be the most attractive vegetable, but it is full of nutritional benefits that keeps the body strong and healthy.
This common leafy green vegetable comes in a range of colours, shapes and sizes that you can use for soups, salads, sandwiches and more. It can be eaten raw or stir-fried.
-Fights inflammation
Cabbages contains anthocyanins, which are naturally occurring antioxidants. A research showed that people who eat cabbages have lower inflammation levels than those who do not eat.
– Keeps one strong
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, does a lot of work for the body. It helps make collagen and boosts the immune system. It also helps your body absorb iron from plant-based foods.
– Improves digestion
Cabbages contain phytosterols (plant sterols) and insoluble fibre. These help keeps the digestive system healthy and bowel movements regular. It fuels the good bacteria in your gut that protects your immune system.
– Protects your heart
The anthocyanins found in cabbage helps with more than inflammation. Research suggests they add to the health benefits of cabbage by reducing your risk of heart disease.
Scientists have found 36 different kinds of anthocyanins in cabbage, which could make it an excellent option for cardiovascular health.
– Lowers your blood pressure
Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that helps your body control blood pressure. This could help lower your blood pressure, reducing your risk for heart disease.
-Lowers cholesterol
Cabbage contains two substances — fibre and phytosterols (plant sterols) — that compete with cholesterol to be absorbed by your digestive system. They wind up reducing your bad cholesterol levels and improving your health.
– Maintains bone health and healthy blood clotting
Vitamin K is essential to our well-being. Without it, you’d be at risk of developing bone conditions like osteoporosis, and your blood would not be able to clot properly. According to research, eating cabbage everyday keeps our bones strong and blood cells clotting well. -clevelandclinic.org
