Health Benefits of Ofe Nsala: Can a pregnant woman eat Ofe Nsala soup (white soup)?
Can a pregnant woman eat Ofe Nsala soup?
Nsala soup, also called white soup is a very popular soup in Igboland, Southeastern Nigeria. This is the only soup you make without palm oil, sometimes you have to “colourise” it with red peppers.
Ofe nsala, as the Igbos call it, combines some local spices, pounded yam, meat, fish and vegetables into a delicious soup. Nsala soup is a staple food that can be eaten with fufu, eba, pounded yam, starch, semo, wheat, yam and even rice.
Ofe Nsala is a highly spicy (pepperish) soup.
White Soup Ingredients
Yam (six to eight slices…baby fist size)
Ground crayfish (1 cup)
3 seasoning cubes
1 teaspoon Uziza seeds
1 cup sliced uziza seeds
Dried or smoked fish (two medium sizes)
Snails (Optional)
1.3KG / 3lb Chicken
Small dawadawa
handful sliced utazi leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Capsaicin and vitamin C are some of the major constituents of ofe nsala soup.
Health Benefits of Ofe Nsala
Ofe Nsala has numerous health benefits as outlined below.
➡️Nsala soup rich in protein, vitamins C, E, potassium and omega-3 fatty acid.
➡️ its spicy nature makes it a perfect meal for cold and rainy season
➡️nsala soup help contrast the uterus after delivery. It helps remove stale blood from the womb
➡️It increases blood flow and protects the heart against diseases
➡️The presence of capsaicin in pepper and vitamin C makes the soup an ideal food for prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infection such as cold, cough and flu.
➡️ Capsaicin helps to protect the heart by reducing cholesterol, triglycerides and platelets aggregation, which when in excess could result to heart diseases, blood vessel diseases and stroke.
➡️ofe nsala boosts the body’s immune system and help fight disease.
Ofe Nsala just like water, “has no enemy”. It can be eaten by all age groups (not infants, too peppery) and even diabetics and hypertensives.
BUT…..
Can a pregnant woman eat Ofe Nsala soup (white soup)?
Many pregnant women are wary of eating ofe nsala because some of its key ingredients for cooking it are uziza and utazi. Let me assure you that you have nothing to worry about. According to the NIGERIAN HEALTH BLOG, nsala soup is totally safe in pregnancy. There is no research-based study that have shown that ofe nsala is harmful to pregnant women and their unborn babies. Pregnant women can therefore enjoy the delicacy of white soup without fear of any side effects. Ofe Nsala soup does not cause miscarriage.
© NIMEDHEALTH
