Nutrition
Benefits of millet
– High nutritional value: Millets are a rich source of nutrients, including protein, fibre, and micronutrients like magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
It also has a low glycemic index. This makes it an ideal food for people with diabetes or anyone looking to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
– Gluten free: Millet is naturally gluten-free, making it an excellent choice for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It’s also a great alternative to wheat for people looking to reduce their gluten intake.
-Promotes digestive health – The high fibre content in millet makes it an excellent food for promoting digestive health. It can help to prevent constipation and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
-Aids weight loss – Millets have a low calorie count, and they are an excellent food product for weight loss. They help to maintain energy levels throughout the day, preventing the need for constant snacking and overeating. Millets also keep you satiated for longer than other carbohydrates, as they take time to get digested and absorbed into your body.
-Keeps blood sugar levels low – Millets have a low glycaemic index, which makes them an excellent food for regulating blood sugar levels. Consuming millets regularly can lower your risk of developing diabetes.
-Boosts Immunity – Millets provide a great source of protein and can help develop and strengthen your immunity. A stronger immune system means fewer chances of you catching diseases.
-Reduces cardiovascular risks – The essential fats found in millets provide our bodies with good fats which prevent excess fat storage, effectively lowering the risk of high cholesterol, strokes, and other heart complaints. The potassium content in millets regulates your blood pressure and optimises your circulatory system.
-Prevents asthma – The magnesium content in millets can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and asthma complaints. Unlike wheat, they do not contain the allergens that lead to asthma and wheezing.
-Helps your digestion – Millets are a rich fibre source that benefits digestion by alleviating bloating, gas, cramping, and constipation. Good digestion keeps issues like gastric/colon cancer and kidney/liver complaints away.
-Acts as an antioxidant – Millets help the body detox because of their antioxidant properties. Quercetin, curcumin, ellagic acid, and other valuable catechins flush out toxins from your body and neutralise the enzymatic actions of your organs.
Source: wafflemill.com
Nutrition
Nourishing Ghana Starts with Us: The role of citizens
The success of Ghana’s fight against malnutrition does not rest solely in the hands of the government or donors. It depends on us, the citizens. Nutrition is not just a technical issue. It is a societal one, and every Ghanaian has a role to play in ensuring that no child goes hungry, no mother is left unsupported, and no community is forgotten.
As citizens, we must shift how we see nutrition: not as a private family concern, but as a collective national responsibility. Here’s how we can act:
1. Demand accountability
Every citizen has the right and responsibility to ask how public funds are being used to support nutrition. Are local clinics stocked with supplements? Are school feeding programmes working in your district? Are maternal health services adequately funded? Ask questions. Engage assembly members. Attend town hall meetings. Make your voice count.
2. Speak up, Speak out
Silence has a cost. When we fail to speak out against malnutrition, we normalise it. Use your platform, whether it is WhatsApp group, a radio show, a church gathering, or social media, to raise awareness. Normalise conversations about child feeding, food quality, and maternal health. Silence keeps systems broken. Voices drive change.
3. Support local solutions
Support or join community nutrition initiatives. Volunteer. Share what you know. Help spread accurate information about breastfeeding, healthy diets, and hygiene. If you are a farmer, teacher, trader, or youth leader, your knowledge and effort can make a difference. Change starts in our homes and neighbourhoods.
4. Protect the first 1,000 days
Whether you are a father, grandmother, neighbor, or employer, support pregnant women and caregivers during this crucial period. Encourage antenatal care. Help with child care. Prioritise nutritious foods. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life lay the foundation for everything that follows.
When citizens care, ask questions, take action, and show solidarity, we create the conditions for lasting change. Malnutrition is not inevitable. It is a symptom of neglect, and neglect ends when citizens choose to act.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition Project
Nutrition
Ga Kenkey
Ga kenkey, a staple in Ghanaian cuisine, is prepared with fermenting corn dough, then cooking a portion of it to create ‘aflata’ or ‘banku’. It is a popular food in the southern part of Ghana.
Ingredients:
-8 cups of dried corn
-Dried corn leaves (for wrapping)
-2 tablespoonful of stew
Preparation
-Soak corn in water overnight
-Grind corn into a powder form
-Mix the ground corn with water (dough)
-Mix part of the dough with water and put it on fire to cook
-Take the pot off the fire and mix in the remaining dough .
– When ready shape mixture into balls and set every prepared ball on a corn leaf.
– Cover each ball by wrapping the corn leaf around it
– Put water on fire. Add wrapped kenkey to boil for 45 minutes.
– When ready take them out carefully and serve them along with shito, ground pepper and fish.
