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20.02.2018 Health & Fitness

Dawadawa For Diabetes: The Many Benefits Of Dawadawa

By Ghanaweightloss.com/Akubire Mbena Sampson
Photo credit - Stuff-only.blogspot.comPhoto credit - Stuff-only.blogspot.com
20.02.2018 LISTEN

Locust bean when boiled and fermented is known as dawadawa in Hausa language ,Kolgo in Frafra Gurune language in Ghana. A black strong smelling tasty seasoning, rich in lipid 29 per cent, protein 35 percent, carbohydrate 16 per cent, good source of protein, fat and calciumfor rural dweller. African locust bean popularly used in seasoning traditional soups has shown promise in boosting cellular immunity in immune-compromised persons, as well as, in management of diarhhoea, diabetes, and heart attack. It could also serve as antidote to snake bites.

They are used for local seasoning of soups, from dried powdered okro soup, Alefu soup, bitter-leaf soup (Onugbu in Ibo) to palm nut soup. They come with sometimes, offensive odour, but make delicious meals. Indeed, the fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa and Parkia bicolor are used in mostly all parts of northern Ghana and the West Coast of Africa for seasoning traditional soups. They belong to the plant family Mimosaceae of the order Leguminisae.

Parkia biglobosa popularly known as the African locust bean tree is known in Yoruba as Igba, or Irugba, in Kasem as Choo, and in lbo as Ogili.

“The bark is used as a mouthwash, vapour inhalant for toothache, or for ear

complaints. It is macerated in baths for leprosy and used for bronchitis, pneumonia, skin infections, sores, ulcers, washes for fever, malaria, diarrhoea, and sterility. Roots are used in a lotion for sore eyes. ”

According to The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa by H. M. Burkill, “the

pulverised bark of P. bicolor is employed in wound healing. P. biglobosa is known to provide an ingredient that is used in treating leprosy, and for treating

hypertension. “In Gambia, the leaves and roots are used in preparing a lotion for sore eyes. A decoction of the bark of P. biglobosa is also used as a bath for fever, as a hot mouthwash to steam and relieve toothache. The pulped bark is used along with lemon for wound and ulcers. ”. Ghana is blessed as a nation to have dawadawa trees growing wildly.With this numerous benefits, it will be good government and individual food processors begin to invest in its cultivation and using it for herbal medicines and most of our food seasonings.

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