Nutrition
Health benefits of jute leaves (Ademe)
• Jute leaves
Jute leaves is popularly called ewedu among the Yoruba and rama or ayoyo among the Hausa. It is a popular vegetable in West Africa and is not just rich in nutrition but also has a lot of health benefits, including protecting us from various diseases. Nutrition-wise, vegetables are low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals.
– Internal Bleeding
Jute plant consists of considerable amount of Vitamin K which is helpful in reducing the threat of bleeding in the liver, poor nutrient absorption, jaundice or the combination of long term use of antibiotics or aspirin. Some of the problems related with the gastrointestinal system due to a decrease of this vitamin include colitis, obstructions, sprue and Crohn’s disease. All these problems are due to a reduced content of Vitamin K.
-Weight loss
The green leaf has been described as a source of weight loss. Serving ayoyo or ademe without meat or fish has 97 calories. So, for those trying to lose some weight, include ewedu in your diet.
The ewedu leaf is an adequate source of fibre, thus making the plant very helpful in dealing with weight management and may also promote intestinal health by helping with bowel movement.
– Good for pregnant
women
This jute leaf has been known to be a remedy for pregnant women experiencing prolonged labour. When a pregnant woman is experiencing prolonged labour, a bunch of ewedu leaves squeezed with the stem can be given to her to drink. It has also been discovered to aid milk secretion in lactating mothers.
– Protects Eye Health
Poor diet or nutrient deficiencies are the fundamental reasons of numerous eye diseases. Research has proven that taking vitamin B6 together with other vitamins, like folate, can help in the prevention of eye disorders and loss of vision. Jute plant consists of 0.496 mg Vitamin B6 which is 38.15percent of the daily recommended value. Regular consumption of Jute plant is believed to help slow the start of certain eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration.
-Fights off colds and flu
Jute plant consists of Vitamin C which is extremely beneficial to the immune system and plays an important role in the body’s ability to fight off colds and viruses. You can take 1,000 mg of Vitamin C to fight off an oncoming cold and 4,000 mg per day to get rid of a cold which is previously in your system.
Vitamin C when taken during colds and flu can help to decrease the risk of developing further complications, like pneumonia and lung infections.
-Reduces cholesterol
Several research studies have shown that copper helps to reduce the levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and to increase beneficial cholesterol (HDL cholesterol). Jute plant consists of 0.222 mg of copper which is 24.67percent of the daily recommended value. This helps to lower the chances of cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes.
– Protects healthy hair and skin
Vitamin B2 also known as riboflavin plays an important role in maintaining collagen levels, which helps to make up healthy skin and hair. Collagen is required to maintain the youthful structure of skin and to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, thus a riboflavin deficiency can make us look aged earlier. Some research recommends that riboflavin can decrease the time needed for wound healing, can decrease skin inflammation and cracked lips, and can help naturally slow signs of aging.
Source: Herbal Cure For Disease
Soya beans is a highly nutritious plant-based food with several health benefits:
-Rich source of protein
-Contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.
-Helpful for vegetarians and vegans as an alternative to animal protein.
-Supports muscle growth and repair.
– Heart Health
-Helps lower cholesterol levels
-Contains healthy unsaturated fats and fibre that support cardiovascular health
-Can be part of a heart-friendly diet
-Bone health
-Provides calcium (in fortified soy products), magnesium, and protein
-Soy isoflavones may help maintain bone density, especially in postmenopausal women
– May help manage menopausal symptoms
-Contains natural compounds called isoflavones (phytoestrogens)
-Some women experience reduced hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms with soy consumption
-Supports weight management
-High protein and fibre content can increase fullness and reduce hunger
-May help with maintaining a healthy weight
-Good for blood sugar control
-Has a low glycemic index
-Protein and fibre can help stabilise blood sugar levels
Ghana has nutrition policies. Ghana has nutrition targets. Ghana has nutrition programmes spread across multiple ministries and dozens of implementing partners.
What Ghana does not have is a single, empowered body responsible for leading, coordinating, and holding all this together. That is the gap a National Nutrition Council would fill, and stakeholders are calling for one now.
The case for a council
At a stakeholder engagement convened under the Nourish Ghana project in 2025, participants proposed the establishment of a National Nutrition Council to provide effective leadership and a governance framework for addressing malnutrition in Ghana. The meeting, which brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society organisations, and the media, highlighted a fundamental problem: nutrition responsibilities are fragmented across various ministries. Without a dedicated coordination body, efforts are duplicated, accountability is diffuse, and nutrition consistently loses out when budgets are tight.
The proposal echoes a model used in several countries that have made the fastest progress against malnutrition. Nigeria’s National Council on Nutrition, for example, recently pledged $107 million at the 2025 N4G Summit, a level of coordinated ambition that Ghana has struggled to match.
Ghana does have existing coordination structures worth acknowledging. The Scaling Up Nutrition Cross-Sectoral Planning Group (CSPG), established in 2012, was set up to harmonise planning, implementation, and monitoring of nutrition actions across sectors. It has produced real gains. But the challenge has been institutionalising those gains beyond project cycles, and analysts have called for an elevated national coordination body with presidential oversight to ensure genuine cross-sector accountability. A National Nutrition Council would go further, providing the dedicated financing and convening authority that the CSPG, as currently structured, does not have.
What a Council would do
A National Nutrition Council would provide political oversight and coordination across all sectors involved in nutrition, health, agriculture, education, social protection, and finance. It would track Ghana’s nutrition commitments, hold ministries accountable for delivery, and ensure that nutrition budgets are protected and spent effectively. Most importantly, it would give nutrition a permanent seat at the table where national development decisions are made.
The Time Is Now
Ghana made 10 commitments at the 2025 N4G Paris Summit. Translating those commitments into results requires a governance structure that does not currently exist. Establishing a National Nutrition Council is not a bureaucratic exercise. It is the institutional foundation without which Ghana’s nutrition ambitions will remain promises on paper. Leaders must act on this proposal without delay.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
