Medicinal Wonders of Locust Beans

The first day I bought food spiced with locust beans at a restaurant, I screamed at the sight of it and asked my friend what it was, he explained to me that it's called "Iru" in the yoruba language and it's used for cooking and seasoning. At my initial sight, the beans looked a bit scary to me, it's not frequent from where I come from. But widely used in the South West and in the North.

Locust beans also known as Parkio biglobosa by scientific name, goes by many names. In the South East, it is called "Ogiri" while the South Westerners call it "Iru", but in the North it is refrred to as "Dawadawa". An interesting fact about the locust bean is that the fruit pulp and seed extracts are really what is fermented to produce what is used in local meals. Although the locust bean has an unsavory smell, it possesses numerous nutritional and medicinal benefits.
Furthermore, the portion of carob that is made into locust bean gum contains soluble fibre in the galactomannan family.

• The most valuable parts of locust beans are high in lipids, protein, carbohydrates and it is a good source of fats and calcium.

• Locust bean helps to promote good sight and drives away hypertension and conditions like stroke and diabetes.

• Locust bean contains tannins, astringent substances found in plants. Foods rich in tannins are often recommended for treatment of diarrhoea.

• Local research has shown that locust beans help to promote good sight.

• Like other forms of soluble fibre, it has shown potential benefits for enhancing weight loss.

• The trampled bark of the locust bean tree is employed in wound healing and serves as one of the ingredients used in treating leprosy.

• The fermented locust bean seed is used in controlling cholesterol level.

• It aids digestion.

• It's used in the management of bacterial infections.

So when next you cook, remember to add locust beans to your food.

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