Ukwa "African Breadfruit Seeds" a best friend for a person with Diabetes

Well some of you may be wondering what exactly is ukwa. Ukwa is a a very nutrition food commonly eaten in southeastern Nigeria primarily by Igbo people. It is also called afon in Yoruba; ize in Benin, Jekri and Sobo; izea in Ijaw; and ediang in Efik. Ukwa is the seed of the African Breadfruit "  Treculia Africana " similar to the Breadfruit eaten in the Caribbean and South Pacific, but still quite different. The African counter part is much larger growing as large as watermelons and weighing 10 or more pounds.  Also it is not sought after for its "meat" but rather for its seeds.

To extract the seeds from the fruit, the fruits are allowed to ripen and fall from the large trees in which they grow on. The fruits are then allowed to rot, and machetes are use to crack open the fruit or sometimes the fruit is even thrown on large rocks . There is a long lengthy process before the seeds that are eaten are fully extracted.  The seeds are typically roasted and eaten or can be boiled to soften them making a sort of porridge.

Now we are more informed about ukwa, the question to answer is why should ukwa be a diabetics best friend?

According to Researchers at the Departments of Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, who conducted a study using a breadfruit seed diet on rats, ukwa significantly lowered blood lipid levels and blood glucose levels in these rats compared to rats fed  a normal diet. It was hypothesized that breadfruit seeds probably contain an agent that reduces blood glucose, total cholesterol, VLDLs.

In a 100g serving  or 3.5oz there ukwa is composed of about 10% fat primarily unsaturated fat (the good fat), 12-15% protein, 25% carbohydrates with 2% fiber. It is a good source of vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene, vitamin c, and folic acid (folate). With only about 240 kcal in this serving amount, it is a good option for individuals with diabetes. Check out my Recipes for a recipe on how to cook ukwa!

For those of us living in diaspora where ukwa is impossible to find, it can now surprisingly be purchased on amazon.