By AgroNigeria
What comes to your mind anytime you come across the
saying ‘‘don’t judge a book by its cover?’’ Beyond the literal meaning it
depicts, it’s deep and applies to everything we do and engage in, even in terms
of the food we eat and the ingredients we use in preparing them. I have
pondered several times why some things that are useful to humans would cause a
kind of displeasure or discomfort.
Okay, let me put it simply. Take Onions, for instance,
it has so many health benefits, yet it provokes tears from one’s eyes when
peeled. What of lime? It has a sour taste but very medicinal. There is no way
you will taste lime and not notice some changes in your body system before it
performs its functions.
Let’s not even mention locust bean. Did I hear you say
Ah? I know right. Many people can’t stand the smell of locust bean, but they
enjoy Ofada stew, efo riro, ewedu and all the likes. The truth is, even though
the smell of locust bean is one you wish you can do away with, you could tell
the difference when used in foods because the taste and smell of a stew or soup
made with locust bean adds a unique flavour to make food delicious. This
besides the functions it performs in the body system.
The same way different people call locust beans
different names, is the same way it appeals to people differently. Some love it
and can bear to withstand the unpleasant smell, others detest it with passion
and can’t stand the sight of it in their food. While for some, they don’t mind
eating it but they can’t stand when they see it in their food.
This very much reminds me of my Dad. He rejects food
if he spots locust bean inside. But if he doesn’t, he will finish the food
enthusiastically and lavish praise on the cook afterwards. Moreover, some
people don’t mind the presence of locust bean in their food as long as it
tastes nice, they are good to go.
Here’s what interests me about locust bean.
Even though its smell is unpleasant, it is nutritional
and very beneficial to the body. You might be wondering what possible benefit a
smelly ingredient can give to the body.
Well, you may have heard that eating locust bean is
good for the eyes. Put simply, locust bean is a crop as well as a vegetable
that contains a high amount of Vitamin A and yeast, which according to
nutrition experts, helps to produce optic cells that makes the eyes healthy.
However, the benefits of locust bean are more than
just eye improvement, it also aids digestion. I bet some of you do not even
know that you can substitute locust bean for Maggi in stews. Well, now you
know.
My dear locust bean has soluble fibre in the
galactomannan family which has been shown to be beneficial in weight loss. In
addition, it improves cholesterol level and you don’t want to consume it when
you don’t feel hungry because it is a natural appetite stimulant. It is also
known as a very good immune booster, by building your immune defence to fight
infections and diseases.
On a daily basis, we get exposed to harmful free
radicals that are discharged into the environment. When they accumulate in the
body, they can cause many chronic diseases. And medical professionals have
advised that once or several times a month, we detoxify our body system.
Aside from other means of doing this, locust bean can
help in this regard as it is a good antioxidant and detoxifier. It aids in
getting rid of free radicals in the body system. This is because the fruit has
a remarkable amount of polyphenols that accounts greatly for its anti-oxidising
properties.
The anti-oxidising properties of the fruit extracts of
locust beans are very similar to that of ascorbic acid – a natural organic
compound with antioxidant properties.
So, if you fall into the category of those who detest
locust bean because of its smell, you’re missing out on quite a lot. My piece
of advice to you is if you haven’t been eating enough of it, better start doing
so. It is nature’s gift which should be cherished delightfully.
@WPPJr
Editor/Publisher
Editor/Publisher
