Are you a tuozaafi fun? Yes! Awesome, below are some interesting points supporting our wonderful indigenous meal and why we should cherish it.
If you are not a tuozaafi fun and have no medical reasons not to love this meal, I hope to stir you up to join the tuozaafi (TZ) gang.
As a registered nutritionist, a public health advocate and a clinical practitioner, it’s part of my job if not work to encourage patients/clients and the general public on the 4-star diet.
The 4 star diet ensures that, we are eating what’s right (staples, fruits and vegetables, legumes nuts seeds, essential oils and animal protein) and nourishing our nutritional stores as we ought to every single day.
Tuozaafi and ayoyo soup with tomato stew (with meat or fish) is one of the best meals one can have as an individual and as a family.
The benefits are incredibly, and below are some hard and proving benefits we obtain whiles eating this wonderful meal. I will break it down course per course so we all can appreciate this information to the very core.
Main meal: Tomato stew with meat/fish and Ayoyo soup.
Accompaniment: Tuozaafi.
Dessert: 1 peeled orange (just to enhance the absorption of iron and fibre; that’s the meat/fish and the leafy green, ayoyo). To be taken 15-30 minutes after the meal or as a go with.
The meat/fish in the tomato stew will supply your protein needs and also supply you with other nutrients like fats & oil, minerals and vitamins.
The ayoyo soup is powerful and loaded with fibre and key vitamins like folates, vitamin K, C, A which serve the body with greater benefits.
Tuozaafi’s main content is carbohydrate; the fuel on which our body and brain fully function.
The orange is to aid in digestion and also helps in the absorption of the iron in the food. Iron helps with healthy red blood cells, the basic component of a healthy blood and prevents anaemia.
If you don’t tolerate high acidic citric foods, 2 sardine tin size equivalent of watermelon will be okay for you.
In summary;
Tomatoes – As part of the ingredients, contains Vitamin C or ascorbic acid (antioxidant lycopene) which is good for skin health and beauty, reduces risk of heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes are also a great source of folate (the natural form of folic acid) and potassium, good for all and with unique benefits for men too.
Meat – Protein, helps with muscle strength and aids in body repair. It also contains vitamin B6 for healthy body and brain, vitamin B12 for healthy blood cells, thiamin(helps with metabolism, muscle contraction etc), riboflavin(helps the breakdown of protein, fats, carbohydrate) and niacin(lowers cholesterol, ease arthritis), which are all powerful vitamins. The serving guide should be 2-3 pieces.
Fish – is low in calories and rich in nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids which fights anxiety and depression, improves on our eye health, reduces risk of metabolic syndrome, good for brain health during pregnancy and early life, reduces risk of heart disease and a whole lot more. The ideal serving is a sardine tin size or your palm size.
Tz – carbohydrate supplies energy for the body. A fist-size is ideal and enough for you.
Ayoyo soup (jute or mallow leaves) – contains vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin and folate which helps our immune system, helps with our reproductive health and our vision. The soup should be enough. Did I stir you up for this meal this weekend?
God bless the north for this powerful meal and bless the eater as well.
I will keep the information coming on our local meals and others; Do you promise to serve your family goodness too?
Let’s do this. Share with others.
NB: if you will have to eat this outside, get it from a reliable source.
You can get it at Tzquarters, a source I trust. Call them on 0503830655 (+233) for a pack of goodness this weekend.
I will keep the information coming on our local meals and others, do you promise to serve your family goodness too?
Let’s do this. Share with others.
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The writer is a registered Nutritionist/Nutrition Advocate and Public health practitioner.
Nutritionist – Citi Breakfast Daily TV show (Mondays, from 9:00am to 9:30am)
Facebook: RNutritiinist Aaky Aphyra
Instagram: nutritionistakosua_gh
Call: 0243350206 (+233).