There is the general notion that Nigerian foods are fattening. So it seems difficult for people looking at losing weight, especially because Nigerian food is particularly tasty. Beyond weight loss and keeping fit, healthy living which includes healthy eating has numerous benefits and really cannot be overemphasized.
So if you looking for healthy Nigerian foods that are equally tasty, you are in the right place!
Healthy Nigerian Foods
Fruits
I guess you already knew this would be on my list. The place and benefits of fruits is not negotiable. In Nigeria, at every point in time, you have one fruit or the other than is in season making it plentiful and cheap. A list of Nigerian fruits include: Apples, bananas, oranges, watermelon and the likes. These fruits are rich in vitamins and fiber.
Vegetables
From Ugwu to Ewedu and Efo tete, Nigeria is rich in tasty and richly colored vegetables. They are also very rich in vitamins and fiber.
Healthy Nigerian foods
Seafoods
Fish and other sea foods are another source of nutrients. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and have special benefits of lowering risks of diseases such as dementia and heart disease. Some of them are especially low in fat and calories. Common Nigeria sea foods include: sardines, cat fish, shrimps and tuna.
Beans.
For reasons I can’t place now, beans wasn’t my favorite growing up. I had to be told that it was instrumental is growing tall. That was what made me eat much beans. But beans does beyond make you grow, it is a great plant source of protein. It can also be eaten in many fun ways: with plantain, yam, corn, vegetables. You just never go wrong with beans.
Nigerian foods that helps burn belly fat
Low-calories swallows
For those who may not know, swallows are solid foods that accompany local soups usually eating in morsels. They are not all as unhealthy as a lot of people think. In fact some of them are actually low-calorie foods. Some of these low-calorie swallow include: Amala, Semo, and Wheat.
Brown Rice (Ofada Rice)
Rice is one staple food eaten a lot in the part of the world. Brown rice is however not so popular, yet it is highly nutritional. It is a good source of Magnesium and Fiber. Since rice is almost unavoidable in the daily food timetable of an average Nigeria, substituting white rice for brown rice on some days is a very healthy option.
nigerian foods that helps burn belly fat
Tubers: Potatoes and Yam
Whether Irish or sweet, potatoes are another rich Nigerian food. They are packed with potassium and other nutrients. Potatoes are particularly belly filling when boiled. Yam is also a healthy option.
So you see that more than most people think, Nigerian foods are packed with nutrients. Only that sometimes, we don’t get the proportion right. It is either we are eating more or less than we ought to and that’s where deficiencies step in. The key to balancing it all is variety – taking advantage of foods in season and not just sticking to one kind of food however healthy it seems.