By Grace Edema
Yuletide is usually celebrated with different kinds of drinks, especially imported juices and soft drinks with high sugar contents and other unnatural ingredients and preservatives. But Nigerians can have a yuletide without soft drinks by making do with local drinks which are quite cheaper, nourishing and healthier than industrialised drinks.
Some of these local drinks include zobo, kununn zaki, fura de nunu, soya milk, palm wine to mention a few.
Even as the yuletide approaches, family members can bond together by jointly preparing these local drinks whose tastes are natural.
For some years now, there have been several warnings by both nutritionists and medical experts concerning the high sugar content and some other unhealthy ingredients in most imported beverages. According to them, these drinks are health risks to the human body.
The local drinks, if well prepared under good hygienic condition, are nutritious and healthy.
According to nutritionist, Uchechi Umeche, local drinks are very nutritious because they have gone through the process of fermentation which brings about a new product from the original, making it more nutritious.
“Local drinks, from nutritionist point of view, are natural and I always advise people to go for local beverages than those made with preservatives because it is through the process of fermentation that they (local drinks) are produced. Fermentation introduces microorganisms which work on the original product to produce a new product that has more nutrients and nourishes the body.”
She, however, warned that there should be moderation while taking even the local drinks. “We are not saying that because local drinks are more nutritious, people should go ahead and drink a drum of kunun. Moderation should be the watchword.”
Although these drinks are now being hawked around Lagos, most people still have restrictions buying them due to hygiene. Due to this challenge, it is advisable to prepare it at home or buy from a trusted source.
Layo Adigun drinks zobo and kunun, but could not buy from the hawkers, since he is not sure of the hygienic condition under which they are prepared. “I drink zobo and kunun, if they are prepared by my folks at home. But I can never buy it from hawkers, since I do not know how safe the water used is. I cannot buy, but I love the tastes of the local drinks than all these juices filled with sugar and some ingredients that are harmful to the health.”
Below are the health benefits of zobo and kunun which are more common.
Zobo
Zobo is made from all natural extracts of the Hibiscus Sabdariffa plant. Extracts of Hibiscus Sabdariffa has been clinically tested and the results of these tests have been published by many highly-respected members of the Medical Research Community.
The Hibiscus Sabdariffa:
*Soothes colds and provides similar cold relief obtained by consuming antioxidant drinks
*Acts as a general tonic
*Promotes proper kidney function
*Helps digestion
*Acts as a diuretic
*Improves overall urinary tract health and
*Improves overall cardiovascular health.
The zobo drink is composed of dried hibiscus flowers, water, pineapple fruit, vanilla extract, sugar and ginger.
Kunun zaki
Kunun zaki, as called by Northerners, is made from millet, sweet potatoes, ginger and sugar.
Health benefits of kunun
*According to healthdiaries.com, millet contains a polynutrient called lignan, which has cancer-fighting properties and is beneficial in the treatment of heart disease.
*It is also known to reduce the risks associated with diabetes.
*Kunun is good for women that have reached the stage of menopause, as it helps them relax their muscles.
*It is also recommended for nursing mothers, as it helps increase the flow of their breastmilk.
*Due to the ginger content, it lowers the cholesterol level and prevents the formation of blood cloths.
*It contains fibre, thus helping to promote a healthy digestive system.
*Kunun helps in the prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
This yuletide, go ahead and prepare your local drinks and you sure will be healthier in the new year.
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