[FOODIES CORNER] 7 Nigerian foods with high Calcium

🥬 1. Ewedu (Jute Leaves Soup)

• Calcium: ~200 mg/100 g raw leaves

• How to prepare:

  1. Pluck and wash fresh jute leaves (ewedu).

  2. Blend with a little water into a thin puree.

  3. In a pot, sauté minced onions and seasoning (locust beans, ground pepper).

  4. Pour in the puree, simmer 5–10 min. Add a pinch of potash (optional) for viscosity.

  5. Serve hot with amala, pounded yam, or fufu.

2. Oha Leaves (Ofe Oha Soup)

• Calcium: ~100 mg/100 g leaves

  1. Wash and shred oha leaves.

  2. Cook meats (beef, stockfish) with palm oil, onions, pepper, crayfish.

  3. Add cocoyam paste or achi for thickening.

  4. Stir in oha leaves last, simmer ~3 minutes. Serve with fufu.

3. Sardines (with Edible Bones)

• Calcium: ~350–569 mg per cup

• Preparation ideas:

  • Drain sardines in tomato sauce; heat gently and serve on bread or rice.

  • Flake into stews or jollof rice for calcium boost.

4. Spinach Stew (Efo Riro)

• Calcium: ~120–266 mg per serving from green leafy veggies

• Cooking guide:

  1. Wash spinach (or local celery/amara).

  2. Sauté onions, scotch bonnet, bell peppers in palm oil.

  3. Add stockfish, meat, crayfish—simmer.

  4. Stir in spinach, cook 5 min, season to taste.

  5. Enjoy with rice, fufu, or yam.

5. Moin‑Moin (Steamed Bean Pudding)

• Calcium content: Beans + added proteins = some benefit

• Cookery steps:

  1. Soak peeled black-eyed beans, blend with onions, pepper.

  2. Mix in oil, salt, and fillings (egg, fish, crayfish).

  3. Pour into wrappers/cups; steam 45–60 min.

  4. Eat alone or with rice/pap.

6. Millet Porridge (Koko/Ogi)

• Calcium: Millet contains calcium

• How to make:

  1. Soak millet, blend, strain into water (reverse-sieve method).

  2. Ferment overnight if preferred.

  3. Cook strained sediment with water, spices (ginger/clove), and sweeten to taste.

7. Okra Soup

• Calcium: from okra + optional ewedu/ugu leaves

• Preparation:

  1. Slice okra finely; set aside.

  2. Cook meats/fish with palm oil, onions.

  3. Add okra (and ewedu if available), simmer 5 min.

  4. Season and serve with starch.

🥜 Bonus: Almonds, Tigernuts, Chia/Sesame Seeds

• Almonds: ~378 mg Ca/cup

• Tigernuts & sesame: good plant-based calcium; often used in beverages or as garnishes

🌟 Tips to Boost Calcium

• Use bones-in fish like sardines to enhance calcium intake.

• Add leafy vegetables (ewedu, spinach, ugu) to stews frequently.

• Snack on almonds, tigernuts, or chia seeds (e.g. in smoothies or puddings).

• Consider fortified plant milks or yoghurt if dairy isn’t consumed.