Health benefits of gari

In West Africa, gari or galli or garri, is the fresh starchy cassava root flour.

Gari adds a lot of benefits to human health, not just limited to giving energy to the body.

The minerals and vitamins in gari and other cassava derivatives such as flour are not limited to iron, manganese, calcium, sodium, magnesium, thiamin, copper, ascorbic acid, zinc, vitamin A and potassium.

It also contains dietary fibre, protein and lipids. Here are some benefits of adding gari to your meal;

Aids in digestion

Gari is rich in high fibre content which helps in digestive health. lt can be soaked in cold water with milk to make it creamy and when consumed, the fibre content in it helps to make one full. It also helps in quick digestion and sustains and eliminates the chances of constipation.

Improves immune system

The contents of most of the minerals and vitamins in gari might be low but it is also a good source for other minerals it contains such as copper and magnesium which help in keeping the immune system healthy.

These minerals also play a vital role as they contribute to the maintenance of healthy bones, nerves and the immune systems.

Energises and cools the body.

It has been noted from research that gari has 360 calories of which 99 per cent is carbohydrate. It is the number of calories in food that measures the unit of energy contained in that food.

Soaked gari, known as "garium sulphate" in English, provides a certain amount of energy as mentioned above which the human body needs to maintain daily health and life. It also provides a good cooling effect on the body in hot weather when soaked in cold water with milk.

Prevents cancer

This might have never been heard of by many people and, therefore, it may seem too difficult to believe, experiments have shown that the presence of B17 vitamin (Amygdalin) and fibre in gari help to stimulate the red blood cells and prevent the stomach from cancerous diseases.

It's gluten-free

Gari is a gluten-free food because it does not contain the combination of proteins found in wheat and other related grain foods.

Therefore, gari can be eaten by people with celiac disease (affects the intestine) or those who are sensitive to gluten. Foods that contain gluten irritate their guts and in most cases damage their small intestine.

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