Ghanaian Chef and Nutrition Specialist, Chef Abiro, has revealed a unique cooking tip for leafy greens such as ‘bitor’. According to Abiro, after washing and cooking the leaves, it is advisable not to dispose of the remaining water. The water is said to be full of nutrients that have drained from the leaves during cooking, making it a valuable source of nutrition.
Chef Abiro, who has a special interest in food and food products in northern Ghana, made the recommendation during a recent interview with Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show. He explained that the leftover water can be used to make soups. Chef Abiro’s cooking tip highlights the importance of maximising the nutritional benefits of food, especially in areas where access to a diverse range of foods may be limited.
“Most of these leaves contain water-soluble nutrients. These are nutrients that easily dissolve in water. I know that sometimes cooking bitor, there is a little bit of bitterness or strong sourness. A lot of people try to throw the water away and now squeeze the rest. Buy you will have to leave it because most of the nutrients have seeped into the water,” he said.
Chef Abiro, a Chef and Nutrition Specialist with a special interest in food and food products in northern Ghana, also encouraged pregnant women and lactating mothers to include in their meals, green leafy vegetables that are found in the local communities to boost their health and the lives of their babies.
He said this when he spoke to A1 Radio’s Mark Smith today, Thursday, May 4, 2023.
“You can find the nutrients in the vegetables like the bitor, the ayoyo and alefu. These are the simple things you can find the micronutrients in. It is very important that as you are pregnant, you pay key attention to eating a lot of greens,” he said.
Iron is an essential component for pregnant women and breastfeeding moms because it promotes the growth and development of the foetus and baby. Green leafy vegetables are high in iron and other vital vitamins and minerals. Green leafy vegetables can assist guarantee that both the mother and the baby get enough iron for good development during pregnancy and nursing, Chef Abiro said.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana