GARRI - CASSAVA FLAKES (WHAT IS GARRI)
(WRITTEN BY ESTHER NWAOPETE, PUBLISHED BY ANIL M V)
Garri is made fromcassava tuber it’s produced in powder form with fine granules, which doesn’t qualify as grain. Even though it feels like grain when you touch it, it is grain-free. You can either soak it like regular cereal and paired with groundnut (peanuts), cashew nuts, fried fish, coconut, etc. It can also be made into eba as a ”swallow food” with different soups.Garri is one of the staple foods in Nigeria that cuts across all tribes. It is made from processed cassava tuber. Majorly, it is taken as a cereal or made as eba when stirred with hot water.
There are two varieties of cassava tubers. The sweet cassava and the bitter cassava.
The process follows a sequence that starts from harvesting the cassava to peeling, washing, grating, fermenting, pressing, sifting, and frying.You should note the following point when you are storing your garri:
1.A well-processed garri can last up to six months or beyond.
2.Ensure that you store it in a good dry place.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARRI
1. Great for weight watching : Trying to shed some weight? Then Garri is your go-to guy. Although very starchy, it is also low in calories and the high fibre content in cassava helps you stay full for a longer period and prevents binge eating.
2. Great for your digestive system : Garri contains fibres that are not soluble in water. It helps in the absorption of toxins that enter your intestines. In that way, it improves your digestive health and keeps it chugging along nicely.
3. Prevents cancer :Hard to believe right? Garri also helps in preventing life-threatening diseases such as cancer. The B17 content in cassava leaves helps in stimulating the content of red blood cells, the loss of which often leads to cancer.
4. Perfect for diarrhoea :Those tales your mum told you about the healing power of garri are very true. It addresses conditions such as diarrhoea too. Just munch on it or drink with water twice a day to feel the difference.
5. Good for eyesight :Garri is rich in Vitamin A and bakarotennya that improves the health of your eyes and prevents future blindness or poor eyesight.
6. Packed full of folate: Pregnant women need lots of vitamin C and folate. A cup of garri contains 15 percent of your daily folate requirement and 47 percent of the daily calcium requirement. The two vitamins also help the body’s immune system.
7. Improves Immune System : The contents of most of the minerals and vitamins in garri 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 it contributes to the maintenance of healthy bones, nerves and the immune systems.Some people may not know that while consuming food that has good amount of copper that they are maintaining healthy and functioning nervous system and on the other hand lower theriskof gettingosteoporosis.
8.Energizes& Cools The Body : Soaked garri known as "gariumsulphate" 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.
9.Reduce Age-Related Illness: Studies have shown that one cup of garri contains up to 15% of folate that the body requires in a day as well as 47% of the body's calcium requirement. Folate has an integral role to play in pregnant women in the aspect of fetal development and helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. That is helping to minimize age-related illnesses that progress faster in the human body and may cause the loss of sight.
10. It's Gluten-Free: Garri is agluten-free food because it does not contain the combination of proteins found in wheat and related other grain foods.Therefore, garri 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.
Dangers of wrong processing of Garri.Some potential dangers include:
1.Cyanide Poisoning: If cassava, the primary raw material used to produce garri, is not properly processed, it may contain high levels of cyanide. Cyanide is a toxic compound that can cause serious health issues and even be fatal if ingested in large amounts.
2.Gastrointestinal Problems: Inadequate processing of garri may result in the presence of harmful microorganisms or toxins, leading to foodborne illnesses such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
3.Nutritional Deficiencies: Improper processing might lead to loss of essential nutrients during fermentation or drying, resulting in garri with reduced nutritional value.
4.Mold Contamination: Poor drying or storage conditions can lead to mold growth on garri, which can produce mycotoxins, harmful substances that can cause various health problems if consumed.
5. Allergic Reactions: Contamination during processing or storage may trigger allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, leading to symptoms like itching, hives, or respiratory issues.
To ensure safe consumption, it is essential to adhere to proper processing methods, such as thorough peeling, soaking, fermentation, and adequate drying, as well as proper storage practices for garri.
20 products that can be made from cassava includes: Cassava flour,Cassava starch, Cassava chips, Cassava bread, Cassava cake, Cassava cookies, Cassava noodles, Cassava pancakes, Cassava crackers, Cassava fritters, Cassava beer, Cassava ethanol, Cassava vinegar , Cassava animal feed, Cassava paper, Cassava biodegradable packaging, Cassava adhesive, Cassava soap, Cassava baby food, Cassava energy bars,
Conclusively, Garri is a popular West African food product made from cassava. It is a granular, starchy flour obtained by peeling, washing, grating, fermenting, and then roasting cassava roots. Garri is commonly used as a staple food in various dishes or can be mixed with water or other liquids to create a porridge-like consistency. It is known for its long shelf life and nutritional value, providing a significant source of carbohydrates for many people in the region.
