In this article, you will find a list of popular Nigerian spices.
Spices are amongst the agricultural products from which Nigeria is blessed. In case you don’t know, these food additives are one of the reasons Nigeria’s specialties are delicious.
These spices are not only used in our modern age, but since history, our ancestor has been handling their culinary activities with these spices.
Some spice seeds were also used as herbs back then.
SEE: Medicinal Properties Of Bitter Kola
Not only will your food taste delicious, but there will be a sweet flavor that will come out every time you cook with these food additives.
As a result, if you want your food to be tasty and full of sweet aroma, then you stay with us.
Cuisine Game Changers
Here are a few spices you can use to enhance your food. Once you start using these food additives, you will realize why we say they are game-changers.
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Turmeric
If you are not sure which spice you can use to improve the taste of your soup, stew, or other delights, and then give turmeric a chance. It will transform your dishes to be paradise-made.
The surprise does not end there; it also boosts the immune system to fight any form of infection.
Turmeric is quite common among Nigerian Yorubas, although it is also used in other parts of the country. You can get this nutritional supplement in powder form, fresh or dried form.
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Thyme
Thyme is highly popular across Nigeria. This spice is for people who enjoy cooking jollof rice, meat, fried rice, ragout, and others.
If you go with this spice, it will enhance the aroma and taste of your food. Once you give thyme a shot in your food, you won’t regret making that decision.
In addition to the fact that thyme makes food delicious, it provides you with a few health benefits. It can keep you safe from fungal infections, bacteria, etc.
Thyme goes further to improve blood circulation and deals with respiratory problems.
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Black Pepper
If you want to make pepper soup next time, be sure to add black pepper. It is known to add a sweet aroma to foods, especially the pepper soup we just spoke of.
According to history, the black pepper seeds originated in India. Nowadays, Nigerians are well known for growing this spice. As a result of its importance, it has become one of the popular spices in the country.
Black pepper provides some varieties of advantages for the body. It is occasionally used to relieve pain and improve digestion.
But not only that, but it also prevents cancer due to vitamin C, vitamin A, flavonoids, and so on in black pepper.
Additionally, black pepper is known to manage the problem of respiratory organs and lower the amount of cholesterol in the body.
There are other health benefits beyond what we just talked about.
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Curry Powder
Do you want your chicken or beef stew to blow your cuisine with a sweet flavor? Then let curry powder do the work for you.
It is not only applicable to stew alone but to other dishes such as jollof rice, soup, fried rice, and a lot more. Curry powder goes further to add a flashing color of lime to the food.
Obviously, this is what some people want.
Curry powder secretly controls your blood sugar levels, improves the body’s immunity, tackles the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, makes your bones stronger, and finally prevents you from any form of cancer.
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Nutmeg
The name Nutmeg seems to be best suited to this spice, even throughout Nigeria. But some Nigerians prefer to call it by other names such as Ehu, Ariwo, and Ehuru.
The nutmeg seed makes the magic of adding a lovely flavor to the food. When you put more or less in your rice, you’ll feel like eating it up with the plate.
More to this spice are a few nutritious nutrients which comprise potassium, vitamin A, calcium, B-complex, magnesium, vitamin C, folic acids, niacin, and so forth.
Trust us when we tell you that these nutrients are good for your body.
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Uziza Leaves
For those of you who love to prepare soup; this spice is specifically for you, more especially banger and Ibaba soup lovers. Both leaf and seed of Uziza leave can add a stunning aroma to your soup.
This leaf is a common spice amongst the indigenous Igbo and Efik from Nigeria.
Uziza leave goes beyond adding flavor by adding health benefits through preventing some diseases from disturbing your bodily system.
Some of these illnesses include dysentery, diarrhea, indigestion, flatulence, and so on.
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Ogiri Okpei
Some people might not like its fragrance, but trust us, the smell is a different version of the flavor. This spice is the final product of fermented locust beans. It is common to the Igbos, Yorubas, and Hausa.
This is to tell you that it is a popular spice in Nigeria since it plays an essential role in food.
If you want your egusi soup, Ogbono soup, Ofada stew, and so on to be delicious, then hurry up and get Odiri okpei for your food.
The spiciness is also known for its vast health implications such as reducing weight loss, control blood sugar level, improves visual sight, and handles the issue of stroke plus hypertension, and many more.
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Scent Leaves
The first thing that will attract you to opt for this basil leave is its nice aroma. You will appreciate the aroma which will flow from your stew, soup, sea, and so on when you use this spice.
In addition, you can also enjoy other advantages that accompany this spice. It is believed that these fragrant leaves can treat digestive problems.
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Garlic
Less we forget, this is one of the most popular spices in Nigeria.
Garlic is in the onion family, which perfectly accomplishes the job of adding flavor to foods. Plus the therapeutic advantages it offers to the body.
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Red Pepper
We can’t do justice to our discussion if we don’t talk about red pepper. It is widely used throughout Nigeria for curing fried rice, jollof rice with all kinds of soup, and pepper meat.
Actually, many people prefer that red pepper to black pepper. Reasons best known to them. Red pepper contains many vitamins as well as anti-oxidants.
If we are given all day to talk about popular Nigerian spices, we cannot digest them all. Those we have listed above are some of the few among numerous spices in the county.
Once you make use of these spices, your food will have the flavor and smell as it is made in the sky.