The Principal Nutrition Officer and Head of the Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Food Therapeutics at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Emelia Dery Gbogr, has highlighted the nutritional benefits of cocoyam leaves also known as kontomire, compared with commonly consumed vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.
According to her, kontomire, also known as cocoyam leaves, offers greater nutritional value in some areas than these vegetables and should form part of a healthy diet.
She made the remarks during a Joy Sustainability Month discussion in Accra on Wednesday, September 2, where she highlighted the importance of locally available foods in promoting good nutrition and healthy living.
“When you look at the nutritional values, our kontomire has some of the nutrients higher than broccoli or spinach.
“When you look at the protein content of kontomire, it is higher than that of broccoli. When you look at vitamins, it is high in Vitamin A. We have a good amount of Vitamin A that is good for the body. Fibre levels are also higher compared to those of broccoli,” she said.
She encouraged Ghanaians to pay greater attention to indigenous vegetables such as kontomire, which are widely available and can provide important nutrients as part of a balanced diet.
She also stated that kontomire offers an affordability advantage because it is locally grown and readily available, unlike imported vegetables such as broccoli and spinach.
“It is readily available to us, so compared to imported goods, its counterpart, which is broccoli or spinach, kontomire is readily available. It grows easily, so you can have it in your backyard, and compared to importation, you will have to pay more for the imported goods.
“So, I will say that cost-wise, kontomire is better,” she said.
