The debate is still on since I was a child if “garri” can cause poor sight to a person. A young man of 23 years actually inspired this article as he sent a message asking if really Garri can cause a person to loose their sight or reduce vision. Garri is a popular West African food made from cassava tubers consumed mainly in Nigerian, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Ghana. The fact still remains that no matter how wealthy an African is whether they are home or abroad, this cassava substance can never be short of supply. Garri is a quick meal that is very satisfying and can serve different purposes. It is even more enjoyable because it can be combined with anything like groundnut, beans, soup etc. Can Garri really cause loss of sight? Studies have shown that fresh cassava plant contains potentially toxic levels of a cyanide. Toxicity occurs when cassava is eaten raw or it is not well processed when making garri. When Garri is not well processed, the cynanide affects “The nerve at the back of the eye which conducts light sensation from the eye to the brain, which we call the Optic Nerve. This will damage the nerve and loss of sight (blindness) may result. “Garri and other cassava products, which are well processed and eaten with adequate amounts of proteins and vitamins, constitute no health hazard to the consumer”. Proper garri processing should diminish the concentration of this acid to a level bearable, but impatience on the part of people make them employ inappropriate processing methods which give rise to cyanide-laden garri poison. Also, adding palm oil to the garri will further help to reduce the cyanide content and give it a unique flavour. “But I for one, I love my Garri white” The emphasis should therefore be on eating a balanced diet rich in proteins, vegetables, vitamins and fruits. No one except in famine or extreme poverty would eat garri alone without soup, meat or fish. With these we need not worry about chronic cyanide toxicity.” In my own opinion, I think the main issue with garri is that since it is one of the ‘staple diet’ especially among those who cannot afford the required 3-stable diet, it is the alleged cause of reduced vision. Garri may continually be ‘victimised’ for poor vision if the public is not well educated on the causes of blindness and poor vision. Advice!!! Buy your Garri from trusted sellers, and do not buy and eat what will kill you! For Garri addicts like me, “Too much of everything is bad”! Let us try to minimise our urge. Do you still think Garri is the cause of anyone’s visual loss?
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:13:23 +0000
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