I remember when I was in UNN, a roommate of
mine was pregnant at that time and her midwife advised her to be eating unripe
plantain pottage, as it is very healthy and rich in iron. There are loads of
reasons why we need this important mineral.
Even before you're
pregnant, your body needs iron for several reasons:
- It's essential for making haemoglobin, the
protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells.
- It's an important component of myoglobin
(a protein that helps supply oxygen to your muscles), collagen (a protein
in bone, cartilage, and other connective tissue), and many enzymes.
- It helps you maintain a healthy immune
system.
But during pregnancy
you need a lot more of this crucial mineral. Here's why:
- The amount of blood in your body increases
during pregnancy until you have almost 50 percent more blood than usual,
so you need more iron to make more haemoglobin.
- You need extra iron for your growing baby
and placenta, especially in the second and third trimesters.
- Many women need more because they start
their pregnancy with insufficient stores of iron.
- Iron-deficiency anaemia during pregnancy
is associated with preterm
delivery, low birth weight, and infant mortality.
How much iron you need?
Pregnant women: 27
milligrams (mg) of iron per day
Non-pregnant women: 18
mg
You don't have to get
the recommended amount of iron every day. Instead, aim for that amount as an
average over the course of a few days or a week.
THE RECIPE
Ingredients
5 plantains – 4 unripe
and 1 ripe
Crayfish
Dry fish
Palm oil
2 knorr cubes
Pepper
Salt
Frozen spinach
Onions
Method:
Peel off the skin of
the plantains. Cut plantains into small cubes and into a medium pot it goes.
Add water, same level
as the diced plantain. Allow cooking for about 5-7mins.
Using warm water, wash
the dry fish removing the bones. Set aside. Wash the crayfish and pepper. Blend
together with half of the onions.
Add the mixture and fish
into the pot. Add the cubes, ½ teaspoon of salt, 4 tablespoons of palm oil and
cut in the remaining onions.
Cover the pot and cook
for about 10-15 mins, then turn the food.
Check that the plantains are cooked. Then continually turn the plantain
until it thickens. Add the spinach, cover the pot and cook for the next
2-3mins. Food is ready!
