Nutritionist and food writer Dr. Efua Darko makes the case for putting kontomire stew, millet porridge, and fermented kenkey at the centre of your diet — not the side.
There is a quiet irony in the fact that as global wellness culture chases fermented foods, prebiotic fibre, and plant-based protein, Ghanaians have been eating fermented kenkey, garden egg stew, and groundnut soup for generations. We spoke with Accra-based nutritionist Dr. Efua Darko about the extraordinary nutritional value hiding in everyday Ghanaian food.
"Kenkey is essentially a probiotic food," Dr. Darko explains. "The fermentation process produces beneficial bacteria that support gut health. We've been ahead of this trend for decades without knowing we were trending." She adds that the combination of kenkey with fish and pepper sauce delivers a near-complete amino acid profile in a single meal.
Her top ten: 1. Kontomire stew (cocoyam leaves — exceptionally high in iron and vitamins A and C). 2. Groundnut soup (protein and healthy fats, pairs beautifully with complex carbs). 3. Fermented kenkey (probiotic powerhouse). 4. Garden egg stew (low-calorie, high-fibre, rich in antioxidants). 5. Yam pottage (slow-burning energy). 6. Light soup with tilapia (lean protein, collagen from fish skin). 7. Millet porridge (gluten-free, high magnesium). 8. Plantain (resistant starch, feeds gut bacteria). 9. Palm nut soup (vitamin E, carotenoids). 10. Waakye (complete protein when eaten with egg and fish).
"The tragedy is that people are spending money on superfoods that have half the nutritional value of what their grandmothers were cooking," Dr. Darko says. "There is a reason our grandparents lived to 90 eating this food."
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Ama Owusu
Ama specialises in lifestyle, fashion, and the creative economy. Her writing champions Ghanaian designers and entrepreneurs who are redefining African aesthetics.