Drinking Garri in Pregnancy: Is it Safe?

Cassava, a plant from the Manihot genus, is the main ingredient in garri. During production, cassava is fried after going through a number of steps.

It is a staple food found in many different regions of Nigeria. Many Nigerians consider garri to be a lifesaver and it is a relatively cheap cuisine. it's also a fast meal that requires you to rinse, add water, groundnut, or kuli kuli, and drink!

Depending on how it is made, garri has different textures. Its texture can be either fine or coarse, and its color ranges from white to yellow.

The kind of cassava used and the method of preparation have an impact on how garri tastes. Ijebu garri, which is a popular type in Nigeria, has a sour flavor, whereas garri, which is made in Ghana, could be sweeter.

In Nigeria, we occasionally refer to garri as the national cereal. It may not be unreasonable for a pregnant woman to yearn for garri, but the question of how safe garri is for you and your unborn child still remains.

Garri is not unpleasant to drink, but consuming large amounts of it without considering other meal options can result in malnutrition from a lack of other nutrients.

Health Benefits of Garri

Garri eases digestion

Cassava contains significant amounts of resistant starch, a kind of starch that avoids digestion and has characteristics akin to soluble fiber.

In addition to promoting digestive health, resistant starch nourishes the good bacteria in your gut.

Toxins that enter your intestines are better absorbed by garri. Your gut health may consequently be enhanced as a result. To have a mixed effect, soak the garri in milk and water.

In other words, the combination of the nutrients from garri with those from milk is excellent.

Garri is great for improving eyesight.

Garri is rich in Vitamin A and bakarotennya which improves the health of your eyes and prevents future blindness or poor eyesight.

Garri is an amazing energy booster.

A particular amount of energy that supports a healthy life is provided by garri that has been soaked in water. It also lowers body temperature when submerged in ice water, which is very beneficial in hot weather.

Garri contains Vitamin C which is great for immunity.

Vitamin C, which is found in garri, is important for many areas of health, including immunity.

In fact, studies have shown that vitamin C supports the health of immunological cells in your body and can aid in protecting against oxidative stress.

How is Garri prepared?

The cassava root must first be peeled and ground before being fermented for a few days to produce garri. The garri is roasted after being sieved, sun-dried, and fermented.

Any potential poisons in the cassava root are eliminated during the roasting process of the garri.

There is no additional equipment needed for the straightforward procedure of manufacturing garri. Simply ground the cassava root in a grinder or food processor, then ferment the garri in a container.

Garri can then be sieved, roasted over a fire, and sun-dried. Garri is roasted in palm oil to produce the yellow variety of garri.

To make garri drinkable, soak it in water, milk, groundnuts, sugar, or any other additives that you want.

Is Drinking Garri Safe for Pregnant women?

Garri includes cyanogenic qualities, making it quite harmful for the body to consume low-quality or unhygienic garri.

The sustained consumption of garri diets high in HCN (hydrocyanide) during pregnancy, maybe one likely reason for the deformity shown in their offspring, according to studies.

It is crucial to only consume garri that has undergone thorough preparation or processing in a hygienic environment.

This will assist in shielding you from any accidents. It is known that cyanide can cross the placental barrier and induce problems or birth defects in unborn children.

Drinking garri with caution may be another approach to stop this. It ought to be a one-time event rather than a regular occurrence.

So while consuming garri is not dangerous, it does contain significant amounts of harmful substances like cyanide and lead that, if improperly handled, may become toxic.

Therefore, it is essential that pregnant women consume garri with caution. Always buy from a trusted vendor or you can get hygienically processed ones from food marts or stores near you.

How do you like to drink your garri? Let's know in the comment section.