Photo: flickr
In Africa, Ethiopian is among the leading countries in terms of healthy meal as her food is prepared and serve with numerous varieties of vegetables, spices, and fruits.
Methods of food preparation and serving in Ethiopian is amazing as one can easily obtained almost all the nutrients in the food groups, making them highly nutritious and beneficial to the body.
Surprisingly, Ethiopian is on the list of the most populated and largest countries in Africa even in the world (1).
Additionally, Ethiopian cuisine is known for its rich and diverse flavors, with a variety of spices; It’s food is often served alongside injera, bread which can be used to scoop vegetables or stew.
This article will explore Ethiopian food & Health Benefits
1. Ethiopian soup
Whether you eat during lunch or dinner, it brings family together and provides substantial amount of nutrients. Traditionally, people of Ethiopian likes taking Ethiopian soup with bread or ijara.
Ingredients; lentil, onion, carrot, potato, macaroni, garlic, ginger and cabbage.
Nutritional Fact
Dietary fiber, Vitamin A , Vitamin C, Vitamin B Beta-carotenoid, vitamin B2, vitamin B1 magnesium, calcium potassium.
Benefit of Ethiopian soup
Prevent cancer because of the antioxidant that eliminate harmful pathogens.
Improve eye health due to Vitamin A, antioxidant which neutralize toxic substance.
Promote eye care owing to Vitamin A, Beta-carotenoid presences.
Boost immune system due to nutritional value and component that promote insulin.
2. Fish
Another Ethiopian food that keep her cultural heritage unique is method of fish preparation. In preparing fish, a lot of healthy spices are added while Roasting it. For example, garlic, ginger, flour though lemon and bread are served Longside with the meal.
Nutritional Fact
Fat soluble vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, D, k, selenium, copper iron, Vitamin b12, zinc Sulphur.
Health benefits Of fish
Boost immune system, this is because it has iron, selenium, vitamin A, E, k, protein. These nutrients
Muscles development, is responsible for muscle growth and maintenance.
Prevent anaemia, this leads many symptoms in body like weakness, fatigue, decoloration
3. Alecha Sega Wot
Photo: tabor
This a delicious meal made from chopped meat cooked with turmeric, garlic, onions and butter. You can serve it with injera.
Nutritional Fact of Alecha Sega Wot
Magnesium, calcium, thiamin, vitamin K, vitamin E, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin B12
Curcumin, flavonoids, saponin,
Benefits of Alecha Sega Wot
It helps detoxifer the body and reduce chance of oxidative stress, a risk factor of dangerous disease.
It helps prevent inflammation since it has anti inflammatory properties.
It helps boost immune system owing to the essential nutrients found in it.
It is a rich source of protein, meaning that it can sufficiently improve many bodily functions.
4. Dulet
photo: flickr
These are ingredients used in making duvet; sheep kidney, tripe, liver, mitmita, chili pepper, black pepper, cardamom, butter, and onions.
Nutritional Fact of dulet
Dietary fiber, Vitamin A, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, flavonoids.
Health Benefit of dulet
May Prevent cancer as it contains numerous bioactive compounds.
Promote eye care because of the antioxidant which can inhibit muscular degeneration and symptoms of eye defects.
5. Ferfer
Photo: mertA
About 85% of Ethiopians love eating ferfer simply because it is tasty, and can easily be prepared within some minutes. Ingredients, chopped meat, onion, berbere, garlic, butter, chili pepper and chunks of injera are used in preparing ferfer.
Nutritional Fact of ferfer
Vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin k, vitamin E, flavonoids, selenium, zinc, iron antioxidant…
Health Benefits of ferfer
It boost immune system as a good source of vitamin C, A and antioxidant.
It maintains beneficial bacteria, this is as a result of the dietary fibre, bioactive compounds that promote gut health.
It’s a rich source of iron which aid iron absorption.
May Prevent Colon Cancer because of the antioxidant presence.
6. Ethiopian Salad
It is a delicious meal prepared from different varieties of foods ingredients. It is nutritious and houses tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pepper and lemon.
Nutritional Fact
Dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, D, calcium,
Phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, lycopene, flavonoids, Beta-carotenoid.
Benefits of Ethiopian Salad
Helps improve eye health; this is because of vitamin A, antioxidant which neutralize toxic substance.
Helps enhance immune system; contains essential nutrients with great potent to strengthen immune system
Help treatment digestive problems; it houses abundance of fiber that boost your gut health.
May Aid in cancer prevention; A cup of Ethiopian Salad offers you bioactive compounds known for inhibitions of gene mutation.
Promote biochemical reactions in the body
May Prevent heart-related diseases.
7. Fosoliya
Personally, I like eating fosoliya meal because of the pleasant aroma, coupled with an excellent food ingredients used in preparing it. This includes, onion, tomato, carrot, rosemary, minced ginger, and garlic.
Nutritional Fact of fosoliya
Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, magnesium, potassium, selenium, zinc, flavonoids and lycopene
Benefits of Fosoliya
May maintain assist in diabetes management as a low caloric foods as well as dietary fibre.
Prevent cancer owing to the abundance of bioactive compounds that reduce oxidative stress.
May help keep eye defects at bay since there’s antioxidant that can drastically suppress symptoms linked to eye problems.
Blood Pressure maintenance; a good source of magnesium and potassium.
8. Tibs
You can see tips in every street and house of Ethiopians. It is revered because of nutritional contributions.
Ingredients of tibs includes; slice beef beef, butter, garlic, chili, and onion.
Nutritional Fact of Tibs
Saponin, flavonoids, capsaicin,
Selenium, vitamin A, iron, copper, magnesium phosphorus, potassium thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin E, vitamin C, dietary fiber
Benefits of tibs
Maintains blood pressure; its loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidant.
Boost immune system; contains abundance of nutrients potent for immune Boosting.
Can prevent development of colon cancer; this is because it has fiber, flavonoids, quercetin, an antioxidant design to neutralize free radicals.
9. Menchet Wot
Photo: afoodieworld
Menchet Wot is one of my favourite meal in Ethiopian, the taste is superb. berbere, minced onion, cardamom, garlic, ginger, and butter are major ingredient used to prepare it.
Nutritional Fact
Flavonoids, vitamin A, curcumin, saponin, vitamin B1, Vitamin B2,
Benefits of Menchet
It helps improve liver function as it serves as a detoxifying agent due to natural compounds in it.
Immune Boosting, eating Menchet is helpful
Lower Blood Pressure; eating it enable you reap this benefits.
Helps improve digestive tract and reduces indigestion.
It helps combat arthritis; Regular consumption can smartly offer you this benefits.
10.keyese
Is a healthy meal enriched with different food ingredients such as onion, potato, and pepper
Nutritional Fact of keyesse
Vitamin A, vitamin C magnesium, potassium, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, selenium, zinc, caroteneoid, flavonoids
Health benefits of keyesse
It serves as immune system being an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant.
It helps prevent constipation
It support in iron absorption.
Cholesterol levels may be lower when you consume keyese
It keeps symptoms of diabetes at bay.
Conclusion
Ethiopian food are nutritious, offers nunumerous health benefits to the body.
Ethiopian food & health benefits include; fosoliya, ferfer dulet, Alecha Sega Wot, tibs, Menchet among others.
They are excellent source of nutrients and phytochemical such, vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin B12, zinc, Sulphur, magnesium, potassium, flavonoids, Beta-carotenoid.
Traditional Ethiopian food possses wide range of health benefits like, prevent anemia, constipation, cancer, lower cholesterol, blood pressure among others.
