Food-Tips: Easy Food from Plant, The Banga Rice Its Preparation and Nutritious Benefits

The Banga rice

Also known as Elaeis guineensis the palm fruit locally called banga by some tribe in Nigeria can be used to prepare multiple types of food. In this article we shall be discussing about the Banga Rice.The Banga Rice(Palm Fruit Rice) is a highly nutritious delicacies prepared and eaten world-wide, though the mode of preparation varies from place to place. In this article we shall be discussing the preparation of this delicacy the Nigerian way, a particular method that is used by the Urhobo tribe in Delta State. The preparation is easy but a food that takes alot of time and energy to prepare. so if you are intending on trying out the cooking of this meal, you have to be fully prepared, i mean physically prepared. Please note that the main aim of this article is not solely to tell you or take you through the procedures of cooking this meal but also to let you the nutricious benefit of this meal.

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Things You need to Prepare this meal

Banga: Banga is a natural plant that can be seen almost all around the world, it is very easy to get and relatively cheap. In this article we shall be discussing about the use of the Banga seeds.

Rice: Its obvious that to cook a rice you must have a rice so getting a rice is very important to cooking this meal. While the other ingredients that is required to cook the food varies from place to place, the Banga and rice will always remain the same everywhere.
 
Seasoning: Choose from the variety of seasoning available for example in Nigeria there is, Maggi,Knor,Onga,Mr Chef,Royco.
 
Salt: Salt is also an ingredient to be added in the food
 
Fish: fish is also needed in the preparation of this meal but if you don't like fish then you can use meat.
 
Meat: one also need meat in preparing this meal but if you are a vegetarian or you don't like meat then use fish but if you don't problem with neither meat nor fish then use both.
Pepper: Pepper is optional  you can use Red pepper of any other type of pepper depending on your area
 
Water: To boil the food you need water to cook the meal
 
Cray-fish: Just to add more taste you can add cray fish.

Step to preparing the meal

To begin Cook the selected Banga seeds and pound them then extract the water from the the seed

Step1: Cook the extracted Banga water, wash and add the rice
Step2: Put in your pepper
Step3:Add your Salt and Seasoning
Step4: Add your meat or fish add about two cups of water cover and allow to boil till its dried

Nutricious benefit of the Banga rice. 

From an article by Naij.com the benefits are as follows

1. Palm oil in banga rice is very rich in vitamin K that plays important role in blood clot. It is essential for building strong bones and prevents heart disease. 

2. The vitamin K , which contains antioxidant present in palm kernel Juice prevents cancer. 

3.Vitamin K properties contributes to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin K improves insulin sensitivity. 

4. Magnesium content in palm kernel juice play important role in over 300 enzymatic reactions with the body including the metabolism of food and synthesis of fatty acids and proteins. 

5. Magnesium is involved in neuromuscular transmission and the activity of muscle relaxation. No wonder after consuming a plate of banga rice there is general body relaxation. 

6.In the elderly, intake of banga rice made with palm kernel juice helps to prevent the prevalent of insulin resistance (diabetes), coronary heart disease( heart failure, abnormal heart rhythm), metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis. 

7. Researches showed that consumption of palm kernel juice in rice such as banga contains magnesium with combination viatamin B6 appears to be efficacious to reduce the effect of premenstrual syndrome symptoms such as insomnia, weight gain, bloating, leg swelling and breast tenderness. 

8. Palm kernel juice also contain Vitamins A that is essential for healthy vision and may slow down retinal function in people with retinitis pigmentosa. 

9. Vitamin A is also ensure healthy growth of the bone; the state of health of the reproduction and immune systems. It also helps the skin and mucous membranes repel bacteria and viruses more effectively. 

10. It also contains vitamin E which is a powerful natural anti-oxidants that help in protection against cancer and guarantees to give your skin a fresher look and lowers your cholesterol level, thus protecting against heart diseases. This vitamin also prevent cataracts, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.