Surprising Health benefits of Pap (Ogi or Akamu) – Health Benefits of Akamu (Pap or Ogi)
Pap, Akamu, or Ogi is a popular corn pudding food in Nigeria; It’s a healthful and nutritious meal when paired with a protein dish for breakfast or dinner.
Contrary to what some people may believe, pap is not a “normal” food. Instead, it offers a wide range of health advantages, including a lower risk of hypertension, better digestion, optimum production of breast milk, and enhanced kidney health, to name a few.
Surprising Health Benefits of Pap (Akamu, Ogi)
Health Benefits of Pap – Promotes quality of sleep
Certainly, getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining excellent health. Tryptophan, which is found in millet or corn pap, raises the body’s serotonin levels. Serotonin aids in the reduction of stress. It has been demonstrated that consuming pap before bed improves sleep.
Health Benefits of Pap-Aids Digestion
Pap or Akamu is typically advised for children and every other person both young and old. The smooth texture of pap, Ogi made from corn or millet facilitates digestion easily.
Boosts Breast Milk Production in Nursing Mothers:
Ogi /Akamu provide nutrients, notably a high water content that is sufficient to meet a new mother’s daily needs. Breastfeeding mothers use it to facilitate the flow of breast milk.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Boosts Energy
A lot of carbs are found in cereals like corn pap. A suitable amount of energy is provided by foods high in carbohydrates. Drinking pap, Akamu makes you feel more energised and, if consumed for breakfast, keeps you feeling energized throughout day.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Promotes Weight Loss
You feel fuller for a longer period of time after consuming high-fiber foods mixed with Akamu/Ogi prevents overeating as a result. For pregnant women, it’s the perfect meal because it keeps their weight normal throughout that time of pregnancy.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Reduced Risk of Obesity
Fiber is abundant in pap. Consuming meals high in fiber lowers your risk of obesity and its related disorders, such as heart disease and stroke.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Maintains a healthy digestive system
The cereal used to make akamu is corn, a plentiful source of fiber. Foods high in fiber help maintain a healthy digestive system. It enhances digestive health and guards against problems like constipation and bloating.
Health Benefits of Ogi – Suitable for Ulcer Patients:
Open sores called ulcers might hurt when you eat spicy or fried meals. Akamu or pap is mild on the stomach because it’s minimal in acidity, fat, and spice. It’s a healthy food for people with ulcers.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Increase both male and female fertility
Traditionally it is believed that drinking milk and pap boosts sperm count and lengthens a man’s time in bed. In women, akamu controls flow and promotes ovulation.
Health Benefits of Pap – Prevents Cancer
Antioxidants in akamu aid in the defense against cancer-causing free radicals. Damage to cells is slowed.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Helps Lower Cholesterol levels
The corn used to make akamu contains fiber and magnesium, both of which aid in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Heart-related illnesses can be caused by high cholesterol levels. A healthy food for those with high cholesterol levels is ogi baba. Your chance of developing cardiovascular (heart) illnesses is also lowered with Pap.
Health Benefits of Akamu – Lowers high blood pressure:
An excessive salt concentration in the body sodium plus water is one of the causes of high blood pressure. Akamu has a high potassium content and little sodium. Potassium aids in the maintenance and reduction of high blood pressure regulates fluid balance, and so aids in the prevention of diseases including kidney stones, osteoporosis, edema, and stroke. It is an effective probiotic for those with hypertension and high blood pressure.
Pap is good for babies and toddlers
One of the best natural food for babies in Nigeria is pap. A toddler in Nigeria can drink this common weaning meal. In addition to being relatively affordable, it is also simple to prepare, digest easily, and incredibly nourishing for a growing baby.
Health Benefits of Ogi – Promotes Weight Gain
One might be wondering how a meal might simultaneously encourage weight gain and decrease. Both situations are easily handled with Akamu. Since akamu doesn’t have a lot of calories, adding milk and sugar makes them more credible for weight gain. Additionally, consuming too much pap can make you gain weight.
Side Effects of Drinking Ogi (Akamu/Pap)
The nutritious pap, which can be made from corn, sorghum, or millet, has several health benefits. It can also have negative side effects, particularly when taken in excess
– Drinking too much sugar inside your Pap/Akamu, especially for people with diabetes it can be harmful to your health.
Secondly, taking sugar in excess may raise the chance of developing diabetes for people without diabetes. (For those who always want very sweet pap by add excess sugar)
Thirdly, Consuming pap along with fried or spicy foods might hurt ulcer patients since they can aggravate the condition by irritating open sores and causing stomach acid to rise.
Sugar Alternatives for Pap (Ogi, Akamu)
It is advisable to go for sugar alternatives when taking pap, it also makes your food more healthy when refined sugar is eliminated from your diet on a daily basis.
- Honey
- Date syrup
- Brown sugar
Nutrition Value and Facts of Ogi, Pap, Akamu
A serving bowl of pap has 152 calories.
Fresh raw Ogi/Pap is extremely potent and effective. A good source of carbohydrates, B vitamins (including pantothenic acid, vitamin B5, niacin, vitamin B3, riboflavin, and thiamine, vitamin B1), folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, selenium, chromium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and a host of other nutrients.
Tryptophan, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, and valine are only a few of the high-content amino acids included in the nutritional content.
Frequently Asked Question About Akamu, (Pap or Ogi)
Is pap good for the heart?
Yes! Pap has high potassium content and a low sodium content, making it a perfect diet for persons with high blood pressure and many who want to maintain a healthy blood pressure or prevent developing hypertension.
What is the health benefits of pap, (ogi or akamu)?
Good energy source – Carbohydrates are one of the nutrients that your body primarily depends on for sufficient energy, and pap is a great source of them. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as pap, not only give your body energy but also enhance mental clarity and speed up the metabolism of fat for energy.
Is it good to drink pap at night?
Drinking pap in the morning, midday, and night is not bad either, since it offers several health benefits. Neither will it make you gain weight or get a big stomach; taking pap at night won’t make your belly fat expand. Please feel free to drink your pap whenever you want. Even adding milk will make it healthier and more nutritious.
Is pap good for high blood pressure?
Yes! Recent research and Long-term use of PAP for management on blood pressure patients and OSAHS patients can lead to considerable drops in blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive patients.
Is pap good for cholesterol?
The good news is that pap has some healthy amounts of chromium, zinc, magnesium, and other active ingredients that reduce the body’s levels of “poor” LDL cholesterol. Chromium has been linked to decreasing LDL cholesterol levels.
Can pap make you fat?
No! and Yes! People who consume a lot of carbohydrates may become obese. Having Pap/Akamu twice a day with excess sugar and consuming large amounts of sugary beverages have both been linked to weight gain. (So Pap with honey will not make you fat)
Is pap good for the liver?
The current data provide a fresh understanding of the biological roles played by C-type lectins (found in pap). A viable contender for the prevention and treatment of liver failure is HIP/PAP as well.
Is pap a probiotic?
One benefit of pap is that there is no processing involved, thus all of the probiotics are retained. It is therefore one of the most organic probiotic meals in Nigeria.
What is Ogi Baba in English?
Ogi Baba is Millet and Maize (corn) mixed together – A semi-solid food produced from cereals is known locally as ogi Baba or pap (commonly Sorghum).
What can be eaten with pap?
How to prepare Akamu (Pap, Ogi)?
Checkout >>>> How to Make Ogi, Pap, Akamu – Homemade Ogi Food
