Thursday, August 21, 2014

Deez Nuts....are an aphrodisiac and 8 other benefits

Deez nuts are Tiger Nuts.  Yes, I openly admit that I have eaten tiger nuts and I got a thrilling sensation from them. Of course there is a story behind that. Picture it-on the roadside of Accra, Ghana.  I was on vacation, my first trip to Ghana. There were plenty of roadside vendors selling their goods, including food, sheets, tires, etc.  In my exploration of the culture, and wanting to "live as" as much as possible, I wanted to try the road snacks that my Ghanian hosts were eating. They call them "tiger nuts" aka atadwe.

They look so innocent!
This is the chew, chew chew part.
I popped a nut, chewed and chewed, and chewed. The outside was pretty tough for my coddled American teeth. However, The texture was no problem for my hosts' teeth. The inside was slightly sweet  and crunchy. But that didn't provide the thrilling sensation. Quick Back Story: I have reproductive issues that cause irregular menstrual cycles. At that point in my life, I hadn't had a period in a few months. When I had a period, I would have what I call "PMS tinglings" the day before as my warning. Now you are caught up. 


I ate one tiger nut, decided the taste was not worth the work of chewing it, and politely declined any more nuts.  My hosts thought it was funny that I tried one because men eat them to help with their bedroom performance.  The next day after eating one tiger nut...I...had...PMS tinglings! And I got my period shortly after returning home.  In an article on atadwe "Tiger Nuts: Are they worth chewing", I found that correcting irregular menstrual cycles is one benefit of Tiger Nuts. In addition to my accounts about the taste, texture, and benefits, Here are 8 more facts about Tiger nuts:
1) They are known as an aphrodisiac, so in some communities people hide away so others won't see them eat the nuts and tease them.
2) Most people in Ghana know little about the nutritional and medicinal value.
3) They are rich in energy content such as proteins, starch, and minerals; and High in vitamin E, which is good for fertility.
4) Can be consumed in many forms: ground into flour, roasted, raw, oil, and tiger nut milk that is good for stomach pain (probably better than the pink stuff)
5) Cultivating and Processing tiger nuts is a low priority for Ghana, probably because it is high in cost as they have a very small scale processing industry. 
6) They are consumed mostly by males but,
7) Cultivated mostly by females. It's a very challenging crop and most men are too lazy (according to a local farmer).
8) They have so many health benefits that, while not scientifically proven, are valued by local cultures. 

Hmm, I never looked for them here at home....I'll add "find deez nuts" to my to-do list. 

Also, a highlight of other delicacies I tried while in Ghana....


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