Nutrition
Shito
Shito is a Ghanaian hot pepper sauce, made with ingredients like dried chili peppers, dried fish, ginger, and oil, and is used in various dishes, especially rice-based meals and swallows.
Ingredients
-5 litre of oil
-70 grams of fresh onion
-100 grams of tomato paste
– 40 grams of powdered pepper
– 30 grams of ginger
– 30 grams of fish powder
– 10 grams of powdered garlic
-30 grams of powdered shrimps
-30 grams of powdered herrings
– 5 tablespoonfuls of salt to taste
Preparation
-Pound or blend dry hot pepper together with fresh ginger
– Pound or blend dried shrimps and dried herrings
-Grind onion, garlic and hot pepper
-Heat oil
-Add grinded or blended onions, garlic and pepper.
– Allow it cook for a while.
– Add powered shrimps and powered dried herrings to it.
– Cover and allow to cook further until all water has evaporated
– Add pounded hot pepper, stir, cover and allow to cook
– Add fish powder and continue stirring to avoid burning
– Cook until sauce is dark brown in colour
-Take off the heat and serve with rice, waakye, gari, jollof etc
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Nutrition
Healthy diets are not just personal choices: Ghana must fix the food environmentBy Marilyn Gadogbe
Ghanaian families are increasingly consuming unhealthy foods because the environment makes them the easiest and cheapest choice. From sugary drinks and pastries in schools to instant noodles at home, daily diets are pushing the nation toward hypertension, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases.
Key points:
- Choice is limited: People often pick energy-dense, processed foods not out of carelessness but because they are affordable, convenient, and heavily marketed.
- Health risks: Ultra-processed snacks are becoming common in urban homes, contributing to rising chronic diseases and a growing public health burden.
- Policy vs. personal responsibility: Individual choices matter most when supported by a healthy environment. Policies can enable responsible decisions, just as traffic laws support safe driving.
Proposed 5-Point Action Plan for Ghana:
- Front-of-pack warning labels: FDA & MoH to mandate clear labels on high-sugar or high-salt products.
- Marketing restrictions: FDA to limit advertising of unhealthy foods to children, especially near schools.
- School food standards: GES & School Feeding Programme to prioritize nutrient-dense local foods and limit sugary drinks.
- Sugar levy: MoF & MoH to tax sugar-sweetened beverages and use revenue to subsidize fresh fruits and vegetables in low-income areas.
- Strengthen local food systems: MoFA & Local Assemblies to invest in fresh food access, storage, and market infrastructure.
Conclusion:
A healthier Ghana requires designing a supportive food environment through policy. Diet-related diseases are not just personal choices—they reflect the system people live in. Without structural change, preventable illnesses will continue to burden the nation.
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Yake Yake is a traditional Ghanaian dish from the Volta Region made from steamed, grated cassava. It is similar to Attieke but typically steamed in a different, more rustic, or water-free style.
Ingredients
- 4 tubes of cassava
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Peel the cassava tubers, remove the fibrous inner core, and wash thoroughly.
- Grate the cassava using a blender or grater until it is fine and grainy.
- Place the grated cassava into a muslin or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Pass the dried, squeezed cassava through a strainer to separate coarse chunks, ensuring a fine, powdery texture.
- Line a steamer (or a pot with a perforated insert) with a cheesecloth. Pour the cassava flakes into the cloth, forming a dome shape.
- Steam for about 3–4 minutes until fluffy.
- Turn the Yake Yake out onto a plate. It should appear as a soft, cake-like dome.
- Pair with tilapia, hot pepper, and sliced onions for a complete, authentic Ghanaian meal.
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