Health Benefit Of Nigerian Pepper soup spice

Hi, I am Deltan a proud one at that. Any one from Delta state can attest that Pepper soup is one thing those of us from Delta state don't play with.
Forget the hotness of the soup, the spice contained or used to prepare the soup plays an important role in the human body and also women who just put to birth.I gathered some of the spices which i was brought up with and accustomed with and did a little research on them and their benefit to the human body, with  emphasis on the nutrient they provide and will share them here as time goes on, at least lets know what they give to the body,En joy reading.


African Nutmeg (Ehuru) 

A very aromatic seed used to as a spice added to soups. Sold whole or dried and ground into powder. Used in pepper-soup and banga soup. Can also be used in other traditional soups. Best to use by roasting first before grinding.
 When next you develop diarrhoea, that age long cooking spice may be the way out. The use of African nutmeg for the treatment of diarrhoea has been widely acclaimed in many African communities. Researchers studying its efficacy in the treatment of diarrhoea have proposed that it is one herb that should be industrially processed and sold as an anti-diarrhoea drug; given that diarrhea is a major problem in many developing countries due to a variety of factors ranging from consumption of contaminated food/water to reactions or intolerance to certain foods. African nutmeg (Monodora tenuifolia), a shrub which usually grows into a medium-size forest tree, is very widely distributed in Nigeria, where it is used as an ornamental plant for food and as medicine. The seeds of the African nutmeg also known as Calabash Nutmeg once dried, are grated and used as a substitute for nutmeg, especially in West Africa, the shrub’s region of origin where it is also sold extensively as a less expensive alternative to nutmeg. Its shelled seed is also sold as a spice. This is more pungent than the whole fruit and tends to be used more with meat dishes, such as the recipe for goat stew (Isi Ewu) though it can also be grated and substituted for nutmeg in sweet dishes. In traditional medicine practice, it is widely used to relieve toothache, dysentery, dermatitis, headache and as worm expeller. The seeds are used as ingredient in herbal medicines in Southern Nigeria. In food, they are used as spice. When ground to powder, the kernel is used to prepare pepper soup as a stimulant to relieve constipation and control passive uterine hemorrhage in women immediately after child birth. Other uses include the treatment of body aches, chest pains and rashes due to river blindness and leprosy. An inventory of plants used in the treatment of various skin diseases in nine rural communities in Ovia North East, Edo state by Dr. R.K.A. Egharevba from the Department of Crop Science, University of Benin indicated in the 2008 edition of Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, that the ground seeds of African nutmeg are used to treat worms. Several studies have documented the medicinal uses of this plant also referred to as “Ehuru ofia or Ogbono” (Igbo), “Gujiya dan miya”(Hausa) or “Abo làkòòs¹ or ariwo”(Yoruba). One of such is studies was that by Ezenwali M.O; Njoku O. U and Okoli, C.O from the University of Nigeria, entitled “Studies on the anti-diarrheal properties of seed extract of Monodora tenuifolia”. This was documented in the 2010 International Journal of Applied Research in Natural Products. Although the crude aqueous extracts of the spices had the highest antisickling effectiveness in comparison with its crude form, the experts suggested that these spices, when used in combination with other nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, might be a promising option for the effective management of sickle cell disease and its many complicationsTo be continued.