Nutritive power of “Ewedu” Corchorus

Ewedu (botanical name, Corchorus) soup is a traditional Nigerian recipe mostly eaten by the Yoruba people, but its now a favourite of other ethnic groups.

Corchorus is a genus of about 40-100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and
subtropical regions through out the world.

According to research, ewedu is a folk remedy for aches and pains, dysentery, enteritis, fever, dysentery, pectoral pains, and tumours.

This green leafy vegetable is rich in beta-carotene for good eyesight, iron for healthy red blood cells, calcium for strong bones and teeth, and fast wound healing.

Vitamin A, C, and E present in ewedu “Sponge-up” free radicals, scooping them up before they can commit cellular sabotage. One-half cup cooked ewedu leaves contains1.3g protein fat, 3.1g carbohydrates, 0.5g fibre, 87.3mg calcium, 22.5mg phosphorus, 1.0mg iron, 0.02mg thiamine, 0.04mg riboflavin, 0.3mg niacin and 10mg ascorbic acid or vitamin C. indeed, ewedu has an antioxidant activity of 77%.

Ewedu is called rama in Hausa, malukhiya in egypt,maolihiya in Israel, krain krain in sierra leone and mrenda in kenye.

Ewedu is good for weight loss because of its low carlories content. It helps to strendhten the immune etress system, fights off earth and heart disease.