You might stop eating processed cassava (Garri), after reading this

It’s easy to get confused about which foods are healthy and which aren’t. You generally want to avoid certain foods if you want to prevent chronic illnesses. Now, you may disagree with this article, and that is fine. I very much encourage you to do your own research to see what resonates with you. I also do not want you to feel blame/shame/guilt when reading this. You are not a bad person for eating this particular food. This is purely to help you feel more educated about your food choices, so you feel like an informed shopper.

In West Africa, most especially Nigeria, one very indispensable food is garri. Because of its affordability, it is enjoyed by both the rich and the poor. However, taking too much of garri can have some serious health effects on health and vision like:

Major cause of eye defects

Garri is made from cassava which is known to contain hydrocyanic acid. Cyanide in garri, if contained in large quantity can lead to serious eye defects. However, proper, safe, and thorough processing of the garri should reduce the concentration of the acid to a considerate level.

Intestinal problems

Where in excess, another drastic effect of Cyanide which is an organic acid in nature is that it can lead to intestinal issues, and can worsen the situation of an ulcer patient.

Weight gain

Cassava which is the crop from which garri is derived from is rich in carbohydrate. A cup of garri contains about 360 calories, out of which 99 percent is carbohydrate. Hence, consuming too much of garri can lead to excess storage of carbs in the body and this can lead to unnecessary weight gain. So, you know, garri is not good for weight loss.

It also does leaves us vulnerable to many diseases such as:

– Ulcer

– Blindness

– Stomach pain

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– Blurry Vision

– Anaemia

– High blood pressure

– Diabetes (since its mostly mixed with sugar)

– Scratching of the skin.

– Skin rash

With these stated side effects of garri, you may be having a second thought on consuming it. A lot of people don’t have any awareness when it comes to what they eat. The major key here is the need to take caution so as to prevent any negative health effects. So pay attention to what you eat and how much you eat. It doesn’t take a lot of effort and it helps you to practice self-control, which is a valuable virtue.