Nigeria is one of the many countries situated in the African Continent. Among the five things that Nigeria is well know for internationally, the number one thing is oil. Nigeria is the highest oil producer in Africa, and as such plays a very important role in the countries economy, accounting for 70 percent of the revenue.
One thing that is less known about Nigeria is Nono. No, this is not a double negation, it’s a drink made from fermented milk. Yours truly has never seen it himself, nor has he ever heard of it until now. But, according to some researchers, this Nigerian delicacy has an antidiabetic effect. Well, at least in diabetic rats it does.
A group of researchers from the Adekunle Ajasin Univerity in Nigeria carried out a study utilizing this food. In the study, the researchers induced diabetes to a group of rats by injecting them with Alloxan, a chemical that can destroy insulin-producing cells in rodents and other animals. If the insulin-producing cells (beta cells) are destroyed, blood glucose rises. This is what happens in type 1 diabetes, and this is what happened to the rats in this study.
The Nigerian researchers found that if the rats were administered Nono, blood glucose levels came back was restored to the level of the control group. The effects of Nono were evident in the first week of administration when compared to a group of diabetic rats not treated with Nono. By the fourth week, glucose levels in the Nono group went back to normal levels. The researchers argue that it could be due to the components or the lactic acid bacteria present in Nono.
Perhaps it should be called Yesyes? Oh, no, no, the name is not a double negation.
This Nigerian food has an antidiabetic effect
