Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, Government Statistician.
The contribution of agriculture to the Ghanaian economy could further dwindle, considering the current modes of operation and characteristics of the persons and institutions engaged in the sector, the Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, has said.
Despite recent efforts by the government to boost the sector, since 2013, the sector’s contribution to the economy has remained below 26 percent, with the latest being 23.3 percent in the third quarter of 2020.
The 2017/18 Ghana Census of Agriculture (GCA) shows that in a typical agricultural household, those engaged are aging. At the same time, the majority of the youth, between 15-35 years, do not seem to consider agricultural activities as a viable source of employment, as only a few are working in the sector. Only about 29.7 percent of the 2.6 million agriculture households surveyed had youth from the ages of 15 to 35 years actively engaged in the sector.
“It is not encouraging to see an aging population in a particular sector. What that means is that the contribution of that sector to the economy is going to dwindle over time. As we are seeing, agriculture used to contribute a lot more to the economy, but now its contribution is about 20 percent. So, if you have an aged population, it means people are no more interested in the sector,” Prof. Annim said in an interview after a dissemination workshop on the Ghana Census of Agriculture.
The 2017/18 Ghana Census of Agriculture (GCA) reveals that while agricultural activities in the country still remain rural and rudimentary with little innovation and modernization, the sector is also characterized by an aging population.
The Government Statistician indicated that the full potentials of agriculture in employment, food security, foreign exchange earnings, wealth, and investment outcomes are not being realized given the current modes of operation and characteristics of the persons and institutions engaged in agriculture.
To promote diversity, the Government Statistician said agriculture should attract the youth, especially those with tertiary-level education, among whom unemployment is high and who the census shows have low participation in agriculture.
He recommended tackling some issues, such as the adoption of new technologies, low productivity in agriculture, lack of resources, among others, that have plagued the agricultural sector in order to attract more people and investments into agriculture.
Currently, most agricultural holders use traditional tools and equipment for production, whereas the use of modern tools and equipment such as tractors, shellers, power tillers, meat processing equipment, and milking equipment is negligible.
Some foreign investors have expressed their readiness to refurbish the Zuarungu Meat Processing Factory following an appeal made to them by the Paramount Chief of Chiana and President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Pe Ditundini Adiali Thomas-More.
The Paramount Chief, whose father was a key member of a team that drafted the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, is also said to be currently in talks with some other investors to give a face-lift to the Northern Star Tomato Processing Factory at Pwalugu in the Talensi District and some other non-operational factories across the Upper East Region.
A statement issued by his office to the press says the move to revamp the collapsed factories is part of his neutral vision to help the region and Ghana as a whole to attain by the year 2030 the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on poverty, hunger, education, health, and environmental protection among others. The office says the refurbishment project would also help address rural-urban migration and unemployment-related crimes in the region and beyond.
The President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs is among some five candidates for an upcoming Council of State membership election in the region. The election is scheduled for Friday, February 12, 2021, at the House of Chiefs in the regional capital, Bolgatanga.
“The Chiana Pio deserves the slot to represent the region as a Member of the Council of State. He is a unifier and he has effective lobbying skills. As the President of the House of Chiefs, he has been very firm in pushing for the unity and development of the region. He does not discriminate no matter the background you are coming from. All he wants is to see to it that everybody’s welfare is catered for. He has got a lot of development plans for the region. He became the President of the House of Chiefs just recently, but look at the development he has brought so far,” said one of the 30 delegates who will be casting their votes this Friday.
Pe Ditundini Adiali Thomas-More is said to have also assured the delegates that he will maintain the Electoral College as a “pool of wisdom” to guide his advice on state policies if elected a Member of the Council of State at Friday’s election.
The contenders, as captured on a notice of poll released this month by the Electoral Commission, are: “Mosore Kugbilsong Nanlebetang, a traditional ruler; Akurugu Eric Aligiyelah, a teacher; Yaw Mort, a businessman; Akamboe Ayirebasia, a public servant and Ditundini Adiali Thomas-More.”
Cabbage is one of the most commonly found vegetables on the planet. Cabbage is a leafy green, red, or white biennial vegetable that grows annually. But did you know that it also packs a hefty dose of health benefits? Rich in antioxidants, cabbage can help improve brain function, digestion while protecting against skin disorders, and heart diseases. It is also a great low-cal option.
This cruciferous vegetable belongs to the Brassica family and is round or oval in shape. It consists of soft, light green, or whitish inner leaves covered with harder and dark green outer leaves. It belongs to the group of cole crops, which means that it is closely related to broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. It is widely used throughout the world and can be prepared in several ways. Most commonly, it is included as either a cooked or raw part of many salads.
Health Benefits of Cabbage Did you know that the inexpensive and widely used cabbage is full of health benefits? Let’s take a look at the best ones!
Antioxidant Agent The antioxidants in this vegetable come from Vitamin C and flavonoids, such as quercetin, and apigenin. Red cabbage is particularly potent, as it is full of anthocyanins. Research shows that antioxidants can reduce inflammation and enhance brain function.
Anti-inflammatory Agent Research published in Clinical Phytoscience suggests that cruciferous vegetables like cabbage have anti-inflammatory properties. They contain sulforaphane, which is a compound that reduces inflammation.
It is also known to accumulate a build-up of cadmium-binding complexes in its leaves; one of the main components of that is glutamine. Glutamine is a strong anti-inflammatory agent, so consuming it can help to reduce inflammation, irritation, allergies, joint pain, fever, and various skin disorders.
Supports the Digestive Tract A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that fiber, present in cabbage, helps bulk up the bowel movements and treat constipation. Rich in fiber and glucosinolates, cabbage helps the body retain water and it maintains the bulkiness of the food as it moves through the bowels.
Improves Heart Health According to a study, cabbage is rich in polyphenols, which reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by reducing blood pressure and preventing platelet build-up. Also, by binding the bile acids, it helps to lower your bad cholesterol levels.
Skin Care & Vitamin C According to the New Wellness Encyclopedia, cabbage of all kinds are rich in vitamin C. A cup and a half of uncooked red cabbage can meet your daily vitamin C requirement. The high quantity of vitamin C has another advantage, of promoting your skin health. It provides photoprotection, helps in wound healing, reduces wrinkling, and dry skin.
Weight Loss Cabbage is frequently recommended for people who want to lose weight healthily. Since the vegetable is packed with many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, including water and fiber, it is a healthy dietary option for people looking to eat healthier and shedding pounds. It is also low in calories, containing only 33 calories in a cup of the cooked vegetable. Given these beneficial traits, the fad “cabbage soup” diet is often used for those looking to lose weight fast. However, be aware that it is not nutritionally complete, and should be made a part of a balanced, healthy diet, not the main component!
Prevents Cataract It is a rich source of beta-carotene. So many people, particularly as they get older, turn to cabbage for its ability to prevent macular degeneration and promote good eye health and delay cataract formation.
Supports Brain Health Cabbage is rich in vitamin K, iodine, and antioxidants like anthocyanins. These elements are beneficial as building blocks for the brain. But emerging research shows that it can do far more than maintain the structural integrity of the brain and the nervous system. A 2019 research by the University of Rochester, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that cruciferous vegetables like cabbage may help in reducing levels of bad tau proteins that are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics also recommended cruciferous vegetables for improving memory.
Improves Bones Like all cruciferous vegetables, it is a great source of minerals, like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These three essential minerals are integral in the protection of bones from degradation and the onset of conditions like osteoporosis and general bone weakening. The National Spine Health Foundation recommends Vitamin K-rich foods like cabbage to strengthen bones, cartilage, ligaments, and muscles.
Regulates Blood Pressure Red cabbage happens to be a good source of anthocyanins. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that “Higher anthocyanin intake is associated with lower arterial stiffness and central blood pressure in women.” Simply put, this anthocyanin-rich vegetable helps lower blood pressure levels and prevents heart diseases.
The presence of potassium also makes it a wonderful way to protect yourself from elevated blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Potassium is a vasodilator, which means that it opens up the blood vessels and eases the flow of blood, so it isn’t being forced in a stress-inducing way through constricted arteries and veins. Overall, it is a great shield against many types of dangerous conditions!
Reduces Muscle Aches When certain bacteria ferment the sugars in cabbage during the preparation of sauerkraut, lactic acid is released. It isn’t the easiest compound to find in a diet, but it has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and aches. So in some small way, it can help in general pain relief and muscle soreness, depending on how it is prepared.
Speeds-up Healing Cabbage is rich in sulfur, which is a very useful nutrient as it fights infections. A deficiency of sulfur can result in microbial infections and a greatly reduced healing speed. It also reduces the frequency and severity of ulcers.
Research has revealed that cocoa contains nutrients like iron, magnesium, phosphorus and antioxidants that could fortify one’s immune system to resist the damaging effects of COVID-19.
The polyphenols in cocoa are antioxidants that prevent free radicals from damaging cells. Due to its abundance in these compounds, cocoa has a higher potential antioxidant capacity.
In a clinical trial on 48 healthy people, consuming flavanol-rich cocoa improved antioxidant status (by increasing glutathione levels and reducing oxidative damage markers such as oxidized LDL and F2-isoprostane), especially at high doses. In another trial on 100 men, cocoa protected blood fats from oxidation.
In a clinical trial on 38 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, dark chocolate prevented the production of free radicals by blocking an enzyme that produces them (NOX2) .
In 2 small trials on 36 athletes, cocoa flavanols increased antioxidant capacity before and during exercise. To sum up, the evidence suggests that cocoa’s polyphenols may be antioxidant in humans
Flavonoids, mainly catechin and epicatechin, may play a role in brain health enhancing its function, creating new brain cells, and even reversing brain damage in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
These compounds cross the blood-brain barrier and localize in areas of the brain responsible for memory and learning, which is where most neurodegeneration occurs.
In 3 clinical trials on over 100 healthy adults, acute consumption of cocoa improved working memory, spatial memory, and visual search efficiency. However, dark chocolate only improved mood but had no effect on cognition in another trial on 72 middle-aged people.
Cocoa also preserved cognitive decline in elderly adults by preserving white matter integrity and protecting a brain region whose decline is associated with memory impairment in (dentate gyrus).
Three small studies on 30 volunteers showed that cocoa flavanols increase blood flow in the brain in both young and elderly people.
Again, limited evidence suggests that cocoa’s flavonoids may improve some cognitive functions and help prevent cognitive decline in elderly people. Further clinical research should determine how to use it for this purpose.
Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP) has reported a topline growth of 29.5%, against 20.9% in the same period of 2019, to GH¢123.82 million in 2020 on the back of higher palm oil prices emanating from increased demand from China and India as well as production squeeze arising from labor shortages in key producing countries in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commodity data from the World Bank shows that the price of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) rose by 33.1% to US$ 1,016.37 per MT in 2020 while that of Palm Kernel Oil was up by 26.3% to US$ 1,224.87 per MT.
Although operating expenses grew by 16.6% in 2020, compared to 2.2% in 2019, to GH¢11.19 million in FY2020, the growth was still below revenue growth. This helped to reduce the operating expense ratio (operating expenses/revenue) by 100bps to 9.0% in 2020 from 10.0% in 2019.
BOPP’s profit margins were enhanced by the rise in revenue plus the drop in the operating expense ratio. Profit before tax jumped by 124.8% to GH¢ 29.39 million in 2020 while profit after tax surged by 155.8% to GH¢ 24.70 million in 2020. The PAT margin nearly doubled to 19.9% in 2020 from 10.1% in 2019.
Global palm oil prices are expected to remain very strong in 2021 on the back of anticipated weak production arising from unfavorable weather patterns in key producing countries.
In contrast, demand is expected to remain strong in 2021 on the back of sustained robust demand from China and India, and enforcement of higher biodiesel mandates in Malaysia and Indonesia.
In addition, anticipated disruptions to the supply of competing vegetable oils (soy, sunflower, and rapeseed) could lead to increased demand for palm oil, which could push prices up.
The federation has lamented over government’s reluctance to invest in the production of coffee beans
Revenue in exports from coffee for the year 2018 was US$34,000.
This is according to the President of the Coffee Federation of Ghana (CFG), Chief Nat Ebo Nsarko.
The US$34,000 export revenue recorded for 2018 stands in sharp contrast to export revenue of US$1.4 billion in 2016.
“Coffee export revenue for 2015 was US$3,000, in 2016 it went as high as US$1.4 billion and fell to US$55,000 in 2017 and then to US$34,000 in 2018,” stated Mr. Nsarko in an interview.
“So you can see that we have been struggling, whereas other African countries are doing very well and contributing hugely to their GDP, Ghana does only about 0.2 percent of GDP,” he added.
The federation has lamented over the government’s reluctance to invest in the production of the crop as well as its entire value chain although it requires minimum capital to do so.
Meanwhile, the President in April 2019, launched the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), an initiative meant to further boost the revival of the country’s economic growth through the agricultural sector, especially, the production of cash crops like coffee for exports.
The federation lauding the initiative noted that PERD is a good springboard to mainstream Ghana’s cash crop trading, including coffee – a crop that has taken the center stage as the hottest commodity on the world market in recent times.
PERD is designed to focus on the development of selected export tree crops namely cashew, coffee, oil palm, coconut, mango, and rubber, and also present to Ghana opportunities for export diversification and new sources of revenue.
Farmers who cultivate crops and forest tree production on two acres and below still dominate the agriculture sector, the Ghana Census of Agriculture (GCA) 2017/2018, has revealed.
The study said in the year 1970 the percentage of these proportion of farmers stood at 35 percent but however increased to 56 percent in the 2017/2018 census.
Professor Samuel K. Annim, Government Statistician, who disclosed this during the opening of a dissemination workshop of GCA, said more than half of people actives in the sector are old.
The study, according to him showed that agricultural activities in the country still remained rural and rudimentary with little innovation and modernisation.
“Most agricultural holders use traditional tools and equipment for production whereas the use of modern tools and equipment such as tractors, shellers, power tillers, hatchery/incubator, meat processing equipment, and milking equipment is negligible,” he said.
“While fertilizer is not used by most holders, the use of pesticides is highly prevalent among holders. Crop cultivation is predominantly dependent on rain and mortality in livestock is high,” he said.
He noted that the study showed the educational level of people engaged in the agriculture sector is either up to basic education or no education with only 13 percent of holders attaining secondary or higher levels of education.
“With these low education among farmers, it will not fuel the growth of the sector because there is the need to adopt and apply modern technology. We are still engaged in rain-fed but need to move to go beyond that,” he added.
The study, he said revealed that many people owned farmlands in the year 1970 than in 2018.
Prof Annim said there was a need for the financial sector to develop special long-term loan schemes to meet the needs of different categories of farmers and agriculture activities.
“Currently most financial institution does not take into consideration the gestation period of different activities. Going forward our financial institutions need to design packages for cassava, cocoa, rice, maize…” he said.
Such a credit package, he explained would attract the youth to engage in agriculture and grow the sector to reflect the phrase of “making the sector the backbone of the economy”.
Prof. Annim noted that the managers of the country’s education needed to develop programmes in agriculture that would be practically based and linked to employment after completion.
He said the study served as a baseline to access policies including Planting for Food and Jobs, Building of Wear Housing, how it integrates with the one-district-one-factory and in the next National Census of Agriculture in the year 2024.
Mr. Kingsley Agyei Boahene, the Central Regional Coordinating Director, said the findings of the GCA were critical for policymakers to better identify, prepare, implement and evaluate development projects aimed at enhancing agriculture in Ghana.
He said the sector now had up-to-date and reliable agriculture statistics for programming and monitoring food security and livelihood programmes, among others.
Mr. Boahen said the provision of data on the structure of agriculture in the country, was vital to the rebasing of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Chocolate is a product from cocoa that has numerous medicinal benefits to pregnant women. It gives pregnant women a very pleasant sensation when they eat it. That sweet taste, the melt in the mouth, and the softness provided by chocolate, who can describe this? It gives them an incredible sensation!
These are the health benefits of chocolate to pregnant women.
Preventing preeclampsia. We all must have the same wish, that we want our babies to be born healthy without premature. But there is a pregnancy disorder that is very dangerous for us and our fetus. The disorder is called Preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that can make pregnant women suffering high blood pressure, also can cause premature birth, liver and kidney disorders, and endanger the lives of women who are pregnant. To avoid it, we recommend you start eating chocolate.
Because of chocolate, there is theobromine content that can make pregnant women are not stressed and relaxed so that the fetus also can feel calm. Theobromine content is responsible for preventing all the risks caused by preeclampsia.
Furthermore, research conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Triche of Yale University, shows that if a pregnant woman consumes chocolate regularly, this will make the baby born with a high concentration of theobromine in the umbilical cord blood.
Increasing metabolism system. Why can chocolate improve the metabolism system? Because chocolate contains a very important substance that is magnesium and iron. Magnesium and ironwork together to help the process of metabolizing fats, producing red blood cells, and protecting pregnant women from anemia. They also create the formation of hemoglobin and helping the fatty acid metabolic process.
Normalize the blood pressure. Because a pregnant woman can suffer high blood pressure, they need an intake that can help to normalize the blood pressure. This is very important for women who are pregnant. There are plenty of other intakes to normalize blood pressure, but you can count on chocolate as well to overcome this problem.
Chocolate can help normalize blood pressure and reduce the risk of defects in the fetus. What is the reason? Again it is because of the effect of theobromine content. The content of theobromine can also dilate/widen the blood vessels so it can make blood pressure back to normal.
It serves as a source of antioxidants. According to Mayo Clinic, antioxidants can overcome the free radicals that can enter our body through cigarette smoke or pesticides. The benefits of antioxidants in chocolate is to prevent the growth of cancer cells in pregnant women so that pregnant woman and fetal are free from cancer risk and avoid heart disease. In addition, antioxidants work to form the immune system and keep pregnant women healthy.
Can affect the happiness of the baby. The fetus has a very strong bond with his mother. That is why, if his mother is feeling stressed or depressed, then this will also affect the fetus. Based on research conducted by the pregnant women’s health magazine in Finland, showed that by consuming chocolate, the mother will feel calm and can make her happy and ultimately affect the fetus who can feel the happiness as well.
Increase baby’s response. Another content contained in chocolate is phenylethylamine content. Phenylethylamine content is the content that is absorbed by the fetus when the mother is eating chocolate. This content works to give a good effect on the baby’s response when he’s born and during the growth period. He can give respond to his parents and his environment calmly and relax.
Moreover, there are other contents that have an important role in the development of the baby’s brain. This content is a monounsaturated fat content called oleic acid which is also provided in chocolate.
Lose weight. It is true if we eat chocolate that contains a lot of sugar and fat, this can make us becoming fat. But, there are chocolates that do not contain much fat and sugar. For example, as you can see in the list of nutrients above, the list shows that dark chocolate has a total of 31 g fat and 48 g of sugar.
The content of fat and sugar in dark chocolate is less than the other chocolate, such as the Health Benefits of White Chocolate that has 32 g of fat content and 59 g of sugar content. Therefore, consuming dark chocolate in the right way will help you lose weight and smooth the digestion of pregnant women.
Create a happy mood for a pregnant woman. For women who are pregnant, do you often feel the change of moods? Do you feel the hormonal changes in your attitude? Do you often feel very happy sometimes, sometimes angry, sometimes sad? It is very natural to be experienced by a woman who is pregnant because it is a hormonal influence or because you just tired that time. Try eating chocolate and feel the change in your mood.
Research shows that chocolate has a function to stimulate the production of endorphins in the brain, spine, and other body parts. Endorphin can make you feel good. In addition, there is another compound in chocolate that acts as an antidepressant is serotonin.
Preventing anemia. Anemia is dangerous for us and especially for pregnant women. Chocolate is one of the Anemia Treatments. Chocolate is one of the foods that have an effect of blood-boosting that can prevent pregnant moms from suffering the Symptoms of Anemia or anemia itself.
Phenylethylamine. Chocolate has a phenylethylamine substance that works to relieve stress.
Frequently of eating chocolate can help pregnant women in terms of making their skin becomes smoother and can protect the skin from ultraviolet rays
The African Development Bank on Wednesday signed protocols to disburse a $14 million grant to the Government of South Sudan to boost agricultural markets in a project to be implemented by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The Agricultural Markets, Value Addition, and Trade Development (AMVAT) project aims to enhance agricultural productivity and boost the marketing and trade of agricultural products in South Sudan. The project will be implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in close liaison with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The five-year project will help increase the productivity and incomes of almost 20,000 farming families in Central and Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei states, most of whom are formerly internally displaced persons who have now returned to their homes.
The project will create aggregation business opportunities for farmers and traders, including women and youth, and provide them with new skills and the agro-processing equipment they need to produce competitive products. Twenty aggregation business centers will serve as ‘one-stop shops’ where farmers can access extension services and connect to markets for their value-added products. Farmer groups joining the aggregation centers will have their products not only tested and quality certified, but also traded with the private sector on their behalf.
“A diversified economy away from oil and long-term growth depends on promoting agribusiness development,” said Athian Ding Athian, South Sudan’s Minister of Finance and Planning at the signing ceremony, thanking the African Development Bank for its growing assistance. “With the support from our partners, we are building an improved marketing and trade environment for agribusinesses, increasing people’s incomes and creating new jobs, particularly for the youth.”
The Bank’s Country Manager for South Sudan, Benedict Kanu, noted that “a key factor explaining Africa’s and indeed South Sudan’s low level of agricultural value addition is the inefficient marketing infrastructure. This prevents farmers and processors from realizing the full value of their products, even in their raw form.”
South Sudan has considerable unrealized agricultural potential, but the effects of continued violence combined with unprecedented flooding have seriously damaged food production, resulting in a huge food import bill.
“Thanks to this generous contribution from the African Development Bank, farmers will move faster from subsistence to commercial agriculture by having access to new technologies, markets, and linkages with other services and actors,” said Meshack Malo, FAO Representative in South Sudan.
Despite the country’s agricultural potential and 78 percent of the population employed in agriculture, the sector contributes only one-tenth of the GDP of South Sudan. Agricultural and food products struggle to find their way into international markets due partly to the lack of adequate food quality controls.
The Bank and FAO are partnering with government bodies to strengthen the safety and quality of local agricultural products. To this end, two mini testing laboratories will be established in Central and Eastern Equatoria to enable farmers to test and certify their value-added products, particularly cereals, oilseeds, and maize, before selling them on various markets.
Groundnut, also known as peanut or pignut is described as both fruit and vegetable. It is one of the best sources of protein. Consuming groundnut is very beneficial for our health.
Peanut contains vitamin E, magnesium, foliate, copper, and arginine. Studies reveal that peanuts can even be useful for weight loss and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the skins have an ample amount of natural antioxidants & a high content of dietary fiber. This is with reference to the different types, be it light-roasted or dark-roasted.
The medicinal benefits of groundnut are: Promotes Fertility Groundnut also contains a good amount of folate. Several studies have shown that women who had a daily consumption of 400 micrograms of folic acid before & during early pregnancy reduced the risk of having a baby born with a serious neural tube defect by up to 70 percent.
Promote Heart Health According to researchers, people who regularly eat groundnuts were far less likely to die of heart stroke, or disease. Peanuts and other nuts can also lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. Bad cholesterol can lead to plaque development on the blood vessels & peanuts can prevent this.
Groundnut can also reduce the inflammation that can cause heart disease. The resveratrol in groundnuts also helps fight heart problems.
Boosts Memory Peanuts contain vitamin B3 or niacin content whose many health benefits include normal brain functioning as well as boosting memory power.
Helps in Weight Loss Peanuts or groundnuts are called energy-dense foods. If you include them as a snack then it will make you eat fewer calories later in the day. Compared to consuming them with a meal, groundnuts elicited stronger feelings of fullness when eaten as a snack. This will ultimately help with weight loss.
Including groundnut or other nuts in your diet is a great way to enhance palatability & nutrient intake without causing weight gain.
Prevents Gallstones Consumption of peanuts is also linked to a lowered risk of gallstones. Men having 5 or more units of nuts that include groundnuts in a week had a low risk of gallstone disease. Likewise, women who consume 5 or more units of nuts in a week had a reduced risk of cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder).
Helps Fight Depression Groundnuts are good sources of tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid that is important for the production of serotonin, one of the important brain chemicals involved in mood regulation. When depression takes place, a decreased amount of serotonin may be released from the nerve cells in the brain. Tryptophan can increase serotonin’s antidepressant effects when there is an increased amount of serotonin in the blood.
Boosts Hair Growth Few researchers believe that as peanuts contain all the amino acids & protein, they could be a good supplementation to a diet for hair growth.
