Nigeria, a West African country with a rich tapestry of ethnic groups, boasts a diverse culinary landscape. While Nigerian foods are often classified into "Swallow" and "Other Kinds," there's a growing emphasis on healthy eating habits that don't compromise the delicious flavors Nigerians love. This article explores the components of a typical Nigerian diet, its nutritional benefits and drawbacks, and ways to enjoy Nigerian cuisine while maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Understanding the Traditional Nigerian Diet
Natural and social science studies have commonly referenced a ‘typical’ or ‘habitual’ Nigerian diet. The term ‘typical’ or ‘habitual Nigerian’ diet has long been used in biology, medicine, and public health, as well as in other studies. However, there has been little research conducted into what foods the ‘typical Nigerian diet’ includes, how the diet differs in population subgroups, and how it has evolved over time.
Generally, a traditional Nigerian diet is high in carbohydrates and fiber, low-to-moderate in fats, and relatively low in protein. The 2018 LSMS survey [12], which enquired from more than 5000 households across the country what foods they had consumed in the preceding week, suggested that Nigerian reliance on carbohydrates for calories has continued, even though it is slightly below the sub-Saharan African average of 71%, at about 69% of daily energy intake per capita [20]. However, this is significantly above the averages in high-income countries, which in 2013 were estimated to be 52% in the UK, 49% in the US, and 46% in France, for example [21].
Common Food Groups
The carbohydrate sources consumed the most across Nigeria, according to the 2018 LSMS [12], were different types of grains, with almost all families surveyed having eaten them in the previous seven days. More households consumed unrefined grains than refined ones, but the difference between the two in 2018 was significantly lower than in 2010. The consumption of starchy tubers such as cassava was also high, at almost 80%.
In terms of fat and protein consumption, research [20] has found fats to comprise slightly more (22%) and protein slightly less (9.3%) of the daily energy intake of Nigerians compared to the mean sub-Saharan African diet (19% and 9.8%, respectively). In contrast, an average inhabitant in the UK, as an example of a high-income country, obtained 36% of daily calories from fats and 12% from protein sources in 2013 [21].
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In the 2018 LSMS [12] survey, 95% of Nigerian households regularly consumed fats and oils, with palm oil (91%) and groundnut oil (57%) being the most popular. Most households also reported to have eaten a variety of protein sources, with ‘nuts and pulses’ (85%) and ‘fish and shellfish’ (70%) the most represented. A total of 60% of households consumed some meat in the week preceding the survey as well. In contrast, 4% of households ate no high-protein foods, such as pulses and nuts, fish and shellfish, meat, eggs, or dairy, although they likely consumed protein as part of their vegetable and tuber intake.
Rice was the most frequently domestically consumed source of carbohydrates in 2018, followed by bread, garri (pounded cassava), sorghum, and maize. Yams were the most ubiquitous in the ‘roots and tubers’ category, while white beans, brown beans, and groundnuts were most common in ‘nuts and pulses.’ From foods from animal sources, beef was eaten most frequently, followed by fish and chicken, in both the LSMS [11,12] and IITA survey respondents [13].
Onions, peppers, tomatoes, and okra were the most popular vegetables, with the consumption of eggplants and green leafy vegetables, such as jute mallow, water leaf, bitter leaf, cocoyam, and spinach leaves, also widespread. The most consumed fruits included watermelon, oranges and tangerines, mangoes, bananas, apples, pawpaw (papaya), coconuts, pineapples, and guava.
Typical Nigerian Meals
The specific composition of Nigerian meals varies significantly by region; however, one can generalise that it typically consists of a grain or starchy vegetable, accompanied by a ‘sauce’, also referred to as ‘soup’ or ‘stew’. The grain or starchy vegetable portion of the dish can be made up of rice, often either boiled or jollof (cooked with tomatoes, onions, and spices) [14]. ‘Swallows’, i.e., pounded or pureed grains or starchy vegetables that can be made into balls and swallowed without chewing, are also popular [14]. These differ across the country but can be made of yam (iya and amala isu), cassava (fufu, garri, eba and amala lafun), plantains (amala/elubo ogede), cocoyam (empkang nkuwo), corn flour (eko and agidi), wheat flour (semovita/semolina), fermented sorghum, maize, or millet (ogi and akamu), and many others [13,23].
The ‘sauce’ or ‘soup’ is a stew made of multiple ingredients, often including onions, tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables, along with palm or another oil, meat, fish or crayfish, water, salt, and other seasonings [1,13,14,23]. Examples include ewedu soup (stew with jute mallow leaves and locust beans), afang soup (stew with spinach and water leaves), edikang ikong (stew with fluted pumpkin and water leaves), pepper soup, egusi soup (stew with ground melon seeds), efo riro (spinach stew with peppers and locust beans), miyan kuka (stew with dried baobab leaves), okra soup, and many others [1,4,23,24,25]. Fried foods, such as pof-pof (doughnuts), fried bean cakes (akara), and fried plantain (dodo), have also been traditionally popular, particularly as snacks [13].
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Here’s a table summarizing the typical foods consumed in Nigeria:
| Food Group | Common Examples |
|---|---|
| Grains | Rice, Bread, Sorghum, Maize |
| Roots and Tubers | Yams, Cassava |
| Nuts and Pulses | White Beans, Brown Beans, Groundnuts |
| Animal Sources | Beef, Fish, Chicken |
| Vegetables | Onions, Peppers, Tomatoes, Okra, Green Leafy Vegetables |
| Fruits | Watermelon, Oranges, Mangoes, Bananas |
Health Implications of the Nigerian Diet
The existing literature on the Nigerian diet has emphasised some of its aspects as positive and some as negative. A review of dietary quality in 187 countries between 1990 and 2010 [26] found the Nigerian diet to be quite healthy from an international perspective. In the consumption of healthy food items (fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, milk, total polyunsaturated fatty acids, fish, plant omega-3s, and dietary fibre), Nigeria ranked 35th out of 187 countries (19th percentile), and in the non-consumption of seven unhealthy items (unprocessed red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, saturated fat, trans fat, dietary cholesterol, and sodium), it ranked 40th out of 187 countries (21st percentile).
A review of dietary health consequences in 195 countries between 1995 and 2017 [27] meanwhile concluded that in adults aged 25 years and older, Nigerians experienced the lowest proportion of age-standardised diet-related deaths (11%) and disability-adjusted life years (7%) out of all the countries in the sample. Other studies have highlighted the protective effects of the traditional high-fibre and relatively low-fat diet against colon cancer [7], high cholesterol levels [28], and diabetes [29]. The nutritional benefits of Nigeria’s traditionally consumed green leafy vegetables have also been widely extolled [22,29,30,31].
On the less positive side, some concerns have been raised regarding vitamin A intake through the typical Nigerian diet, given that about 16% of children have been recently estimated to be vitamin A deficient [32]. However, others [25] have pointed out that the strand of Nigerian diet that relies on high consumption of green leafy vegetables and palm oils could provide the population with enough beta-carotene (main source of vitamin A in Nigeria). Further apprehension about the typical Nigerian diet has revolved around the diet’s relatively high reliance on carbohydrates for energy and frequently low dietary diversity [33].
Healthy Nigerian Foods and Recipes
If you want to live long and live well, you must watch what you eat. Here are some healthy Nigerian foods to consider:
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- Fish: Compared to meat, fish is a healthier alternative. White-fleshed fish, in particular, is lower in fat than any other source of animal protein and high in omega-3 fatty acids. There are hundreds of fish species in Nigeria. If you don’t like catfish, you can try Mackerel, Cod, or Tilapia.
- Chicken: If you have the money, eat more chicken and less red meat. Red meats (beef, pork, and lamb) have more cholesterol and saturated fat than chicken.
- Carrot/Green Beans: This is a perfect combination and they are pretty cheap this season. You can add them while you are boiling the rice.
- Fruits: There are lots of fruits to enjoy in Nigeria.
- Garlic: Incorporate garlic into your diet for its numerous health benefits.
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger in jollof rice, stew, pepper soup, porridge beans, pap, etc.
Low-Carb Nigerian Food Alternatives
You can still enjoy Nigerian foods by substituting high-carb meals with lower-carb alternatives without sacrificing the traditional flavors you're used to. A low carb (or keto diet) is a low carb, high fat, and medium protein diet that allows you to lose weight effortlessly and also comes with a host of other benefits.
Here are some low-carb options:
- Keto Jollof Rice: Use cauliflower rice as a low-carb alternative.
- Peppered Goat Meat (Asun): A delicious meal that can help with weight loss.
- Nigerian Egg Stew: A quick and easy meal to prepare.
- Baked Whole Catfish: A nutrient-dense protein that aids weight loss.
- Keto Native Jollof Rice: Made with cauliflower, locust beans, smoked catfish, palm oil, and spices.
- Cabbage Fufu: A substitute for starchy meals, made from green cabbage and psyllium husk.
- Peppered Gizzard: A savory, tasty snack that is also nutritious.
- Nigerian Chicken Stew: Made with chicken parts, olive oil, tomatoes, peppers, and a variety of spices.
- Efo Riro (Spinach Stew): Made with spinach, proteins, palm oil, broth, and spices.
- Cauliflower Fufu: A low-carb alternative to traditional fufu.
- Nigerian Peppered Snails: A tasty treat enjoyed by many.
- Egusi Soup: Made from melon seeds, meat, fish, and other healthy proteins.
- Ogbono Soup: Made from ground African mango seeds.
- Keto Amala Swallow: Made from eggplants.
- Chicken Hearts: High in protein and healthy fats.
- Ofada Stew: Made with palm oil and fermented locust beans.
- Nigerian Fish Stew: Made with different types of fish, tomatoes, peppers, and spices.
- Nigerian Pepper Soup: Made with proteins, broth, pepper soup spice, and pepper.
- Eggplant Stew: Made with eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and spices.
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With these alternatives, you can enjoy the rich flavors of Nigerian cuisine while maintaining a healthy, low-carb diet.
