OVERHEATED OIL– After frying several batches of meat, and the oil has become dark and foamy, they divide the remaining oil into two parts – one part for soup and the other part for jollof rice. We all know that this is unhealthy, but our love for 9ja jollof is unequalled!

MSG – We have heard about the health risks of seasoning cubes over and over again, but we won’t listen. Monosodium glutamate is the main ingredient in those cubes. MSG messes with your taste buds, giving you a false sense of pleasure. It also increases your long-term risk of obesity, hypertension, and brain damage. Most party chefs add excess amount into the jollof to make you come back for more and also employ them for the next owambe.

BURNT SAUCE – Apart from using overheated oil, they still “fry” the sauce for several minutes before adding the jollof rice. The unique smell and taste of party jollof comes from the burnt sauce under the pot. As the smoke gets absorbed into the rice, invariably, you’re consuming smoked rice with all the carcinogenic hydrocarbons in it.

NUTMEG – Some people add nutmeg to improve the flavour and fragrance of food and baked goods. Nutmeg contains substances which can make you “high”. As much as two spoonful of nutmeg powder has been shown to cause psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations.

BUTTER – As if the unhealthy oil is not enough, some chefs still add butter to give the jollof a richer and creamier taste. Some butters are cholesterol free and potentially healthy. But when added to the hot pot of jollof, it begins to undergo chemical changes that produce unhealthy fats. So, why add it to already oily jollof nitori Ọlọhun??

BOTTOMLINE – We know better and we should do better. These ingredients can be avoided, trust me. Increase the tomatoes and onions for a richer quality. Use a fresher batch of oil. Stop burning the sauce. Replace nutmeg with bay leaves and thyme. Cut down the seasoning cubes and use SMD’s or GNT’s natural spice mix. Your jollof will still be sweet!

©KT

2020