How To Prepare Ofada Rice And Benefits
Easy To Make Nigerian Sandwich
March 22, 2017
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March 22, 2017How To Prepare Ofada Rice And Benefits
If you ask people to choose between white polished rice and Ofada rice, 9 out of 10 times they will opt for the polished option. Some of the reasons people give for not liking Ofada rice is the smell and the stones you sometimes find in them.
Even the people who cook rice would prefer to cook the polished rice because of the stress associated with picking Ofada rice clean before cooking.
But, what a lot of people fail to understand is that there is so much more benefits you can get from eating Ofada rice compared to polished rice. Ofada is valuable to health-conscious people, including diabetics and those that have been warned off rice.
Although both types of rice contain the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, and energy, Ofada contains higher amounts of vitamins and minerals. The cellulose in Ofada also increases its fibre content and the colour pigments are beneficial to the health including weight maintenance.
Ofada also has many essential nutrients, including potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B, selenium, manganese, and magnesium which have been proven to be effective in warding off diseases and health conditions which can become chronic or life-threatening in some cases.
Health Benefits Of Ofada
The following are some of the health benefits of consuming Ofada rice.
It reduces breast cancer risk
The phyto nutrient lignin found in Ofada helps in the defense against breast cancer and heart disease. A study on elderly women proved that a diet containing whole grain foods such as Ofada rice increases the level of enterolactone, which have been reported to be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.
It lowers cholesterol
The high amount of fibres in Ofada lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) levels which are responsible for excessive weight gain.
It has a lot of antioxidants
The amount of antioxidants in Ofada rice is 20-30 times more than that in polished white rice. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals on the body. free radicals are unstable molecules produced by the body during metabolism that can cause healthy body cells to mutate.
It promotes bone health
Ofada contains magnesium, an essential nutrient for strong healthy bones. 1 cup of Ofada will yield 21% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium. Your body also needs magnesium to absorb calcium, another important nutrient for healthy bones.
It boosts your immunity
Ofada is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, and E that help to make the body stronger and boost immune system strength against diseases. You will also find 3 times as more vitamin B# and 10 times as more vitamin B1 and B6 in Ofada rice than white rice.
It prevents constipation
Ofada rice has a whole lot of dietary fibre which promotes healthy bowel movements, fight constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and other gastrointestinal diseases such as gastric ulcers.
It helps in weight management
The high fibre content of Ofada makes it filling, reducing the chances of overindulging and controlling the intake of calories in the process.
30 minutes
1 cup of Ofada rice has 216 calories
Serve Ofada rice with Ayamase (Ofada sauce), diced dodo, beef, pomo, offal, moin moin, and steamed vegetables
Ingredients
- Ofada Rice (2 cups)
- Water (5 cups or more)
- Salt (1 tsp)
- Vegetable oil (1 tsp)
Preparation
Pick the stones and dirt from the Ofada rice. Do this carefully as Ofada rice is known to be very dirty and full of stones.
Pour the rice into a bowl, wash repeatedly.
Rinse till the water runs clean.
Now, add 4 cups of water, allow to cook on low to medium heat for 12 minutes.
Take the rice off the heat and rinse out the starch till water runs clean.
Add 1 cup of water and cook till soft. Pour the vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking together. You’ll need to check on it every now and then to prevent burning or sogginess. When it’s soft, take it off the heat and if you end up with liquid after the rice is fully cooked, drain in a colander.
Step 1
Pick the stones and dirt from the Ofada rice. Do this carefully as Ofada rice is known to be very dirty and full of stones.
Pour the rice into a bowl, wash repeatedly.
Notice how dirty the water is after one wash in the picture.
Step 2
Rinse till the water runs clean.
Notice how different this picture is from the first one.
Step 3
Now, add 4 cups of water, allow to cook on low to medium heat for 12 minutes.
Take the rice off the heat and rinse out the starch till water runs clean.
Step 4
Add 1 cup of water and cook till soft. Pour the vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking together. You’ll need to check on it every now and then to prevent burning or sogginess. When it’s soft, take it off the heat and if you end up with liquid after the rice is fully cooked, drain in a colander.
Sargin Beatrice
Holistic Nutritionist
Nigerian
1 cup of Ofada rice has 216 calories. You can eat Ofada rice with Ayamase (Ofada sauce), diced dodo, beef, pomo, offal, moin moin, and steamed vegetables but note that these will increase the calorie count
Good advice
For the best results and to keep your rice from boiling over, do not cover the pot throughout.
