EATING LIGUSHA, CHUCHUZA COULD KILL YOU – HEALTH EXPERT

MBABANE – As a liSwati you have probably been advised to eat chuchuza or inkhaka and that it is good for your body.

ligusha and inkakha  are green leafy plants which  grow indigenously. These foods are traditionally  often associated with good health and that they help with blood flow and are believed to treat certain ailments. Well, this is only partly true and it depends on your health. According to a medical professional in the Eswatini Kidney Foundation Khosi Fakuze, these foods are not good for you if you have chronic kidney disease. The food could literally kill you.
Noteworthy, experts say many people may not be aware they have a problem with their kidneys until diagnosed by a medical professional. Medical facilities are available around the country for diagnosing the condition before it worsens.

Problems

Fakudze said for people who already have  kidney problems, eating these foods could pose a danger and could kill them. She said foods that contain high contents of  potassium and phosphates were not good for people suffering from chronic kidney disease. She said some of the foods that are not good for people with kidney problems include a popular slimy soup known as ligusha. In some parts of Africa, such as Egypt, where it is also known as molohiya, it is also a delicacy  and used to supplement other dishes.

The common English name used is nalta jute. Fakudze said  foods that contain potassium and phosphates may be healthy but for someone that was suffering from a chronic kidney condition they could be lethal to take. She said this was because people suffering from the condition were not able to digest foods like ligusha properly. She said this included other green vegetables such as spinach which was also a favourite among people who wanted to eat healthy.

Mentioned

Another food Fakudze mentioned was chuchuza, also known as blackjack. Its leaves are a favourite delicacy when mixed with ground peanuts. Other favourite local dishes include inkakha, also known as bitter melon. The bitter melon leaves are very bitter, but they are sometimes mixed in stews, cabbage and also usually eaten with ground peanuts. Fakudze said the right foods to eat for people who had kidney problems were bananas or strawberries.

While the saying, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ may just seem like an adage, it is medically true, at least according to Fakudze who is also a health professional. She said those with kidney conditions should avoid fruits that are citric. She said these could affect their digestion and were not healthy for them. Fakudze, however, said apples were fine to eat.

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