Ogbono Seeds: A local seed wey good for digestion

"Which kain soup mama cook o!

Na ogbono soup eh!

Which kain soup mama cook eh!

Ogbono soup eh!

Go tell am say pepper no dey!

Ogbono soup eh!

Go tell am say salt no dey!

Ogbono soup eh!

Soup eh! Ogbono soup eh!

Soup eh! Ogbono soup eh!!”

If you remember dis song come closer, we wan tok about one ogbonge soup thickener wey dey sweet belle wella and from di song above na ogbono seed.

Ogbono seeds, also called African bush mango seeds or Dika nuts, come from di African bush mango tree, Irvingia gabonensis. Dis seeds dey widely used in traditional cooking, especially for Nigeria, wia dem dey grind am use am make di popular Ogbono soup.

Ogbono dey make soup thick, smooth, draw well-well wit a sweet umami taste, but di seed na more dan just a soup thickener.

According to dietician, Ibrahim Abdulsalam Bichi, ogbono na nutritious seed wey contain important nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, protein, and minerals wey dey help di body stay healthy and strong.

8 health benefits of ogbono seeds

Bichi list some health benefits of ogbono seed to be:

1. Ogbono dey good for digestion

Ogbono seeds contain fiber, wey dey help food move well through di stomach and intestines. Dis dey support good digestion and help to prevent constipation.

A healthy stomach dey help di body use food better.

2. Ogbono fit help you feel full for longer time

Ogbono get a lot of soluble fiber, wey dey make am form a thick gel wen mixed wit water. Dis dey slow digestion and dey help pesin stay full for a longer time.

Dis fit help to:

3. Support healthy weight

Becos say ogbono dey help pesin feel full, e fit help wit weight control. Eating foods wey dey keep you full fit make am easier to manage body weight.

4. Support Heart Health

Ogbono seeds contain healthy fats, wey fit help to support di heart. Healthy fats dey help di body in many ways and fit help to improve cholesterol balance when you chop am as part of a balanced diet.

A healthy heart dey help to pump blood well around di body.

5. Help to control blood sugar

Di fiber wey dey inside Ogbono fit help to slow how sugar dey enta di blood after eating. Dis fit help to prevent sudden rise in blood sugar.

Dis fit dey helpful for pipo wey dey live wit diabetes wen dem chop am in di right amount.

6. Give di body energy

Ogbono contain natural fats and some carbohydrates wey dey provide energy. Dis dey help di body to stay active and strong for daily activities.

7. Help di body use important vitamins

Di healthy fats wey dey Ogbono fit help di body absorb vitamins like:

Vitamin A

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

Dis vitamins dey important for healthy eyes, bones, skin, and immunity.

8. Support healthy skin

Di natural oils wey dey Ogbono fit help to support healthy skin by providing essential fats wey di body need to keep di skin healthy.

Wetin make Ogbono special?

Di dietician, Ibrahim Abdulsalam Bichi note say wetin make Ogbono dey different from seeds like Achi and Ukpo na di higher healthy fat content e get and di strong soluble fiber wey dey make soup draw well-well and thick. Dis special fiber e say dey help wit fullness, digestion, and slower sugar absorption.

Important tin to note e add na say Ogbono seeds suppose dey properly cleaned, ground, and cooked bifor eating.

For many areas like di rainforests for di Niger delta region of Nigeria wia di African bush mango dey grow well and wia many pipo dey pick and process di ogbono seeds, dem dey usually dry am under di sun for many days afta dem don extract am from di bush mango core, so e go dry well-well and dat way, e no go grow mold or spoil quick. Dis dey help am get a longer shelf life for dem to sell am for market.

Proper preparation dey make am safe and easier to digest.

Wen eaten as part of a balanced diet, Ogbono na good food for both children and adults.