By: Betty Claymah
It may be a little nut, but it’s a favourite of many for the pleasures it serves the palate. The tiger nut can be used in many forms; in a drink, a pap or a pudding. Rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial plant compounds, tiger nuts are a rich source of antioxidants which protect the body from aging, cancer and heart diseases. Let’s get to know the famous tubers a bit better.
A wrinkly nut, chewy in texture and with a sweet nutty flavor similar to coconut. Tiger nuts are also known as chufa, yellow nutsedge or earth almonds. Known in Akan as atadwe, Atagme in GA, Efie in Ewe and Aya in Hausa, these tubers come in three main types – black, yellow and brown; small in size although some varieties are more plum than others. One can choose the tiny chufas in either fresh or dried state. These nuts, cultivated in many parts of the world, are often eaten raw as an unprocessed snack due to its rich flavour and texture.
In Ghana, Techiman, Bodweasae and Kwahu in the Kwahu South districts of the Eastern region are known hubs of cultivation, wholesale and retail business of these nuts. So, it is not surprising that Kwahu Adumoah has been nicknamed the hub of tiger nuts.
It is a seasonal crop and is cultivated twice in a year. It is women who are mostly known to engage in this business. They also hawk along busy and traffic prone streets, selling the nuts to the public.
We went to the Nima market in Accra where a trader, Madam Firdaus Ahmed, gave us some more insight into the tiger nuts business. According to her some of these nuts are imported from neighboring Niger and Togo due to the demand.
There are those who swear by the aphrodisiac properties of tiger nuts. According to such people, its juice helps to increase sperm production, boost libido and enhances sexual performances.
For this reason, tiger nuts have been given a host of nicknames to reflect this belief.
Tiger Nuts are rich in heart-healthy fats and boost circulation. It is known to prevent prostate cancers, fibrosis among others. Others also substitute it in absence of cow milk.
It is used in cereal production, making of beverages, processed into porridge such as Atadwe Milk and also as a flavouring agent. In its fermented state, it can be brewed into local beer.
So next time you see these nuts, do not underestimate its value because you might be missing out of its benefits. You may want to check with the folks of old, they’ll confirm how mighty this nut is.