Hey mama. are you wondering if it’s safe for a pregnant woman to eat garri? In this article, we discuss the nutritional value of garri, if it’s safe for expectant mums and the right way to make garri.
Garri, also known as cassava flakes, is a popular staple in Nigeria. It is known as one of the quickest remedies for hunger. It is delicious when properly garnished, filling, versatile, cheap and readily available, so what’s not to like? Though for all it’s superpowers, many expectant mothers still wonder if it’s safe for them. Well, here’s everything you need to know.
Can a pregnant woman eat garri?
Garri is made with cassava tubers, grown mainly in the east, south and western parts of Nigeria. It doesn’t take much to prepare and can be made into different forms, including ‘eba’ which is prepared with hot water. It is also eaten as a water-soaked snack most people fondly call ‘garium sulphate.’ The snack is mixed in with sugar or salt, kuli-kuli or groundnut, evaporated milk or even milo and mixed with water. Cassava is also used to make a gruel known as fufu and can be used in a meal as you would couscous or rice.
Still, for all of its goodness, many pregnant women are still unsure if it’s good for them. Pregnancy is a period during which every woman wants to eat healthy because she’s no longer just thinking about herself. Whatever she eats or drinks during this time is her baby’s main source of nourishment to develop and grow properly.
Pregnancy and diet
When a woman is pregnant, her calorie intake automatically goes up, but this is not to say that she is eating for two. Her calorie consumption just goes up a few hundred calories a day, and is not doubled. If you look at the nutritional information of garri above, you would notice that it is high in sodium and dietary fibre, which is an essential part of a balanced diet for pregnant women. The recommended daily intake of dietary fibre for women of childbearing age is 28g daily and garri can help make up for that. Also, the fibre in garri helps with constipation, one common symptom most pregnant women experience. Fibre helps relieve constipation by increasing the number of stools and facilitating their passage through the intestines. Dietary fibre is also important for the following reasons:
- Keeps your bowel movements regular
- Prevents constipation
- Lowers blood pressure
- Reduces pregnancy risks such as preeclampsia
Nutritional value of garri
Garri is made from cassava
Garri contains nutrients that are quite beneficial to the body too. According to Health Soothe, the following are nutrients contained in garri:
- Calories 340
- Sodium 417 mg
- Total Fat2 g
- Potassium 0 mg
- Saturated – 2g
- Total Carbs – 80 g
- Polyunsaturated – 0 g
- Dietary Fiber – 12 g
- Monounsaturated – 0 g
- Sugars – 0 g
- Trans – 0 g Protein – 2 g
- Cholesterol – 0 mg
- Vitamin A 0%
- Calcium 0%
- Vitamin C 0% Iron
How to make garri from cassava
Garri is made from cassava, but the method of processing depends on how you want the end product. Below is a clear guide on how to process cassava tubers into a fine garri:
- Peel off the cassava skin after bringing it home from the farm, but make sure not to dig in too deeply as you peel.
- Wash the peeled cassava with plenty of water to make sure that there’s no sand sticking to it. This is the only washing you will have to do, so do it thoroughly.
- Cut the tubers into sizes, some medium and others small. Then grind in a grinding machine.
- You will need to pack the ground cassava in a porous long bag because it will still be watery after the grinding. Also, drain it for 2-3 days to achieve total dryness in a jack.
- Sieve the cassava with a wide sieve when it’s completely dry to separate the fine powder from other particles.
- Using a wide frying pan, fry the powder in different portions until it becomes dry and brittle.
- The next thing is to dry the garri in the sun in a clean place to keep it from going bad due to bacteria.
- Finally, store your garri in a dry and convenient place. Make sure water doesn’t touch it where you stored it.
So can you eat garri when you are pregnant? Sure you can. However, find a way to moderately slot it into your diet, while having in mind that there are other foods that are also rich in dietary fibre.
Also read: Pregnancy Food: Can A Pregnant Woman Eat Egusi?
Sources: Medical News Today, Health Soothe
