I had walked into a restaurant in Imo State, a state in eastern Nigeria, to eat Egusi soup, but what I saw beat my expectation. Ugba, the African oil bean ( Pentaclethra macrophylla ), stared at me right there in my soup.
I remembered how my mother often give us Ugba to eat raw or add it in Abacha. But I cannot remember seeing this amazing seed in our soup.
I could not hold back my desire to taste the soup. I washed my hands, picked few Ugba into my mouth and it tasted so delicious.
Quickly, I began to devour the meal with so much intensity.
From this day, I have not made any soup without Ugba showing up in it. I go to the extent of adding it in my Okra soup.
But beyond the aroma it brings to your meal, what does Ugba really offer people who eat it.
Ugba is a legume that is popular in Nigeria especially among the Igbos in Nigeria.
This delicious Ugba that people enjoy so much also has some anti-nutritional factors. It contains undigestible oligosaccharides and phytate.
However, fermentation brings desirable changes to this anti-nutritional properties. This is why you have to eat Ugba after fermentation (1).
It is a rich source of nutrients that are beneficial to your health.
Health Benefits of Ugba
Ugba is a rich source of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
It is also an excellent source of minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.
The African oil bean contains essential amino acids and is also rich in dietary fiber.
Here are several health benefits of the African oil bean that you should know.
1. Boosts Heart Health
Your heart is an engine room where things must be in shape for it to perform well. One of the minerals that are great for your heart is potassium.
Basically, calcium plays a role in every heartbeat because it triggers your heart to squeeze blood through your body.
As a result, this mineral helps lower blood pressure (2).
According to the World Health Organizaton, an increase in the consumption of potassium lowers the negative effects of sodium consumption on blood pressure (3).
This happens because potassium plays a role in the physiological mechanisms through which the kidney reduces blood volume.
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However, there are other studies that warn that too much potassium in your blood could became an issue that is life threatening.
This is especially so for those who have cut down intake of sodium.
Also, Ugba contains different antioxidants – Phenol, Flavonoids, Tannins and others.
Flavonoids are free-radicals’ scavenging agent that help lower the troubles that these free radicals cause.
2. Ugba Improves Blood Sugar Level
Some research suggests that it may help to lower blood pressure, improve blood sugar control, and reduce the risk of heart disease.
You see, the African oil bean is a rich source of magnesium.
According to a study, type 2 diabetes is frequently associated with both extracellular and intracellular magnesium (Mg) deficits (3).
The study further says diets that are rich in magnesium help improve blood sugar level.
3. Promotes Healthy Skin
You see, here at So Healthy Nigeria, we study the things that you eat and we find how they help you.
Take a good look at the Ugba seed. You will notice how smooth the shell is. That is a sign to what benefit this seed could give your skin.
When you dry Ugba, there is this oil it produces that is so amazing. this oil is the power of the African oil bean to make your skin amazing too.
This oil in the seed is omega-3 and 6 fatty acids (5).
According to studies these fatty acids offer you different benefits, one of which is making your skin look amazing.
4. Ugba Boosts Digestion
The African oil bean is eaten only after fermentation.
Basically, fermented foods are preserved using an age-old process.
The process boosts the food’s shelf life and nutritional value but can give your body a dose of healthful probiotics – live microorganisms crucial to good digestion (6).
According to a professor of nutrition at the Chan School of Public Health, Dr. David S. Ludwig, your digestive tract is teeming with some 100 trillion bacteria and other microorganisms.
“Research today is revealing the importance of a diverse and healthy intestinal microbiome (the microbial community in the gut) because it plays a role in fine-tuning the immune system.
“They wards off damaging inflammation inside the body, which may lead to conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to neurodegenerative diseases. “It’s a very exciting, dynamic area of research,” Dr. Ludwig says.
5. Boosts Your Immune System
Your immune system is basically in your gut and once you take care of the gut, you make it possible for proper absorption of nutrients from the gut.
Fermented foods fine-tune your immune system and adding African oil bean to your diet will help you achieve that.
6. Maintain Bone Health
As you age, your bone gets weaker, but intentionally adding some calcium-rich foods to your diet would slow the speed.
Ugba is one of such foods that are rich in calcium.
This makes it amazing for your bone.
7. Regulates Metabolism
The presence of omega-3 and 6 in this legume makes it a great meal for the regulation of metabolism.
Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory diet and the level of this inflammatory benefit gets regulated by the omega 6.
Basically, they work hand in hand to give you a great health benefit (7).
However, excess of omega 6 in your meal could cause inflammation.
How To Use Ugba
You can wash your Ugba and just eat it the way it is.
Also, you can add it to different soups or prepare the regular Ugba delicacy of the eastern part of Nigeria.
It is important to note that more research is necessary to fully understand the potential health benefits of African oil bean and how it may serve you better as part of a healthy diet.
Additionally, it is important to eat fermented African oil bean in moderation, as too much can cause stomach discomfort.