Healthier Ugali

Show me a Kenyan family that goes for a week without eating Ugali and I will drop my jaw in disbelief. Ugali is so popular in Kenya that a rise in Unga (maize flour) prices makes us demonstrate. It is not just a Kenyan thing. Many African countries have their own version and name for ugali.

Now that we all eat ugali and quite frequently, how can we get as many nutrients from ugali as possible?

Use whole grain flour

Remember the kisiagi flour you think only people from the village should eat? Well… we get more nutrients from that flour so go all village with ugali. The bran, which is the outer part of the grain that is removed in the production of refined flour, is packed with fiber and minerals.

 100 grams of bran will give you 316% of the dietary fiber you need in a day, 29% carbohydrates, 23% Selenium, 16% of the iron, 15% Magnesium, 13% Niacin, 8% Vitamin B6 and 4% calcium. Now are you sure you still want to buy flour with all that removed from your maize flour?

Explore other grains

Maize is not the only grain used to make flour for ugali. Millet for example makes really healthy ugali.

One cup of cooked millet provides 10% of your daily carbohydrates, 12% protein, 12% Vitamin B1, 8% Vitamin B2, 12% Vitamin B3, 9% Vitamin B6, 8% Folate, 17% Phosphorus, 24% Manganese, 19% Magnesium and 14% Copper. These sound like insignificant numbers but they are very good numbers for a cup of a single cooked grain.

Mix grains

If you feel crazy enough, mix your grains. Maize would go well with a little wheat and it makes it healthier as you get the nutrients from the wheat too. While mixing grains, don’t go overly crazy because too much fiber makes it difficult for you to get the vitamins and the minerals from the ugali. Maybe just mix two grains at a time.

Pair your ugali with good protein sources

When I talk of a good protein source I don’t just mean meat, chicken and fish. Beans are also a good protein source. The amazing thing is, the amino acids absent in beans are abundant in maize and when you pair ugali and beans you get better quality proteins.

Can I add margarine to my ugali?

It is ok to add margarine to ugali especially for children because it adds flavor. Healthy, normal physically active people will burn the margarine like they would other fats. For those on strict weight loss diets count the calories from the margarine when logging your daily caloric intake.

Ugali is affordable, readily available and healthy. What makes it very healthy is its lack of sodium, cholesterol and additives. The method of cooking ugali also makes it healthy so go ahead and enjoy our staple food.