Permit me to ask you reiterate that question; Is African Salad Good for Weight Loss? is abacha good for weight loss? Well, there’s a mixed answer to this question but first, we must carry everyone along concerning what African salad really is.
Quick Facts About African Salad
Generally, when one is trying to lose weight, there is a misconception that such individual must avoid foods that are high in calories. The truth is, our bodies need calories to supply us energy, and the best way to lose weight is through a calorie deficit diet. That is, a diet that gives you less calories than you need on a daily basis. This type of diet helps your body to tap into the food material reserves and burn what has been stored, consequently helping you lose weight.
In this article, we will talk about how possible it is to lose weight despite consuming a food high in calories, like the African salad and abacha. We will also look at how you can prepare the African salad to help you lose weight, and the actual weight loss model you should follow.
African Salad (Abacha– What It Is.
As is popularly known, salads are dishes that consist of different food materials ranging from vegetables to fruits, sea foods, meats, peas, and so on. They are typically served at any time of a meal and are usually flavoured using a dressing.
In the same vein, African salad is a dish that is made majorly of cassava that has been processed and shredded. It is usually accompanied with vegetables, proteins, and flavoured with sauce made from oil and potash, commonly called kaun.
It is a delicacy that is common in Nigeria, but originated from the eastern part of the country. It is a common dish in eastern wedding, naming, and funeral ceremonies, making it another popular festivity dish asides Jollof Rice.
Abacha is usually prepared by combining all desired condiments in a base of kaun and palm oil, to form a thick paste. The shredded cassava tubers are rinsed and sieved before they are added to the thick condiment paste. Sometimes, the African salad is stir fried for easier taste or consumed raw. The dish is mostly accompanied with sides such as vegetables, meat, fish, and tomatoes. Also, it is common to serve African salad with ugba.
African Salad for Weight Loss
is abacha good for weight loss? It is difficult to blame anyone who doubts the suitability of African salad as a dish for weight loss due to the amount of starch cassava contains. Some people, especially diabetic patients, will have nothing to do with cassava and its derivatives due to its high carbs but do not consider that it possesses other nutrients apart from carbs.
In fact, 100g of cassava contains lesser number of calories compared to other food materials we classify as healthy, especially protein foods, such as beans. African salad made from 100g of cassava tuber and shredded will contain only about 165 calories and 39g of carbs. However, it will also contain 1.4g of protein, 1.9g of fiber, and a lot of vitamin C. if you use the newly developed varieties of cassava tubers, that are yellow instead of white, you will also have an abundance of vitamin A. it is also rich in the B-vitamins, and a host of minerals.
To use African salad, a dish rich in carbs, for weight loss, you need to consume it with food materials that complement it. Such food materials should be exceptionally high in protein, they should contain complex carbs, and have a lot of fiber. This way, their nutrients can easily counterbalance the excesses of the cassava used in preparing African salad.
For better understanding, here are some reasons African salad, also called abacha, is good for weight loss.
High in Fiber
Cassava contains 1.9 g of fiber in 100 g of its tuber. If an individual who is looking to lose weight takes this, although it is high in calories and carbs, the will judiciously use those calories for a long time as it will have no craving for other sweet, oily and fatty foods that may cause a significant rise in the number of calories that individual will consume daily.
Fiber helps to make digestion easier, and also creates the feeling of feeling full when you have eaten just little. With African salad, you do not have to eat much before you feel you’ve had enough.
Goes well with complex carbs foods
African salad is often served with fish or meat as a source of protein. These food materials are rich in protein and complex carbs, also promoting the feel-full-fast feeling and helping you consume less. Also, with the complex carbs they contain, you will have that feeling for longer and avoid eating other foods, consequently helping you maintain that calorie-deficit meal plan.
Provides the body with heart-friendly minerals
Abacha is rich in minerals, especially potassium, which is important in maintaining the good health of the heart. Supplying the body with about 20% of the daily recommendation of potassium, African salad helps to lower blood pressure and controls the absorption of sodium.
Rich in vitamins
Vitamins are important in helping the body deal with stress and healing wounded tissues. Weight loss is a journey that requires diet changes and exercising, therefore, there is always a muscle that is torn after an intense exercising session.
To have the best recovery and healing of the torn tissues, it is important that you consume enough vitamin C. it will not only heal the torn muscles, it will help to rid the body of metabolic wastes and free radicals, giving the body cells more enabling environment to work efficiently.
Conclusion
African salad, popularly called Abacha is a nutrient-dense dish from the eastern part of Nigeria. It is commonly served in festivities and is made rom cassava. The cassava is processed and shredded, then mixed with condiments made with palm oil and potash.
African salad is an excellent choice of food for individuals who are looking to lose weight despite its high caloric and carb content. It contains other nutrients that aid in weight loss and general healthy well-being. Also, because it is usually served with other foods high in complex carbs, such as meat, it makes a good meal to include in a weight loss diet plan.
