The palm wine has been in existence for centuries, having been passed across generations. Inasmuch as many people consume it a good number of people are still ignorant of the very many health benefits of the palm wine.
In this article, we'll be stating the different kinds of palm wine, where palm wine can be found, health benefits of palm wine and the side effects of taking it in excess.
What are the different kinds of palm wine?
In Nigeria, most of the palm wine is gotten from the Raffia palm and oil palm tree and tapped by the palm wine tappers. While moving to the other African countries, you'd notice that their palm wines are gotten from various types of palms.
• Palm wine gotten from the oil palm tree is called 'emu' in Yoruba and 'nkwu enu' in Igbo.
• Another common type of palm wine is the Raffia palm wine which is tapped from the raffia tree. It is called 'Ngwo', 'Ogoro' or 'Ukot' in Igbo, Yoruba and Efik respectively.
• In Anambra State, there is another common type of palm wine called 'iti' and it's gotten from stem-tapping of the oil palm tree.
• In Ghana and some parts of Cross River State like Boki LGA, another type of palm wine known as 'down-wine' is gotten from felling of the palm tree. This however discourages forestation and was abolished by the government.
Palm wine is known by different names across the world. For example, in it's known as 'Ukwu' or 'Ngwo' in Igbo (Nigeria), 'Mbu' in Cameroon, 'Panam culloo' in China, 'Lambanog' in the Philippines and 'Emu; in Yoruba.
Where can palm wine be found?
Palm wine is a local alcoholic drink that can easily be found in the tropical areas due to the favourable climatic conditions. It is widely cultivated in Asia, the Caribbeans and some parts of Africa like the West and Central Africa.In Nigeria, you can easily find it in tropical regions like South-south, South-west and South-east. This is because the climatic and weather conditions in those areas are suitable for its growth.
Health benefit of Palm Wine to the Body
• It improves eye vision
The palm wine helps in the improvement of our vision due to the presence of vitamins in it. Vitamins B and C play vital roles in improving the eye vision.While vitamin B1 and B12 help in solving vascular related issues that concern the retina, vitamin C helps in building the connective tissues of the body and the blood vessels of the eye preventing related eye problems like macular degeneration and cataracts.
In addition, the potassium present in the palm wine also help in keeping the eye moist and healthy. Deficiency of potassium in the eye can result in eye muscle spams or eye twitches.
• It improves the skin and hair
Palm wine contains nutrients which help in nourishing the hair, skin and nails.This is possible because of the presence of nutrients such as zinc, vitamins and magnesium.In addition, palm wine also aids in the removal and replacement of the dead cells in the skin, thereby giving it a smooth, soft and better appearance.
• It is used for the treatment of skin rashes
Palm wine has over the years, been useful in the treatment of skin conditions like ezcema and rashes. The palm wine is applied by rubbing the affected areas with un-adultered palm wine. The vitamin content of the palm wine will aid in soothing and relieving the skin of the issues.• It builds the body's structure
Protein is one of the primary nutrients that the human body can't do without. Palm wine in turn, contains amino acids which act as the building block of Protein.Some of the functions of protein include building and improvement of the body cells. It also aids in the repairing of the body’s tissues and structures of the muscles and bones.
• Palm wine improves heart health
Palm wine plays a vital role in the improvement of the heart health due to its potassium content. Potassium aids in combating various related cardiovascular diseases.It also helps the muscles and nerves to function well thereby normalising the heart beats and blood pressure.
Side effects of drinking excess palm wine
The always say that anything that has an advantage must have a disadvantage so this article won't be complete without the stating the palm wine advantages and disadvantages.Having seen the various health benefits of the palm wine, it's also worth knowing that you shouldn't take it in excess as it also have side effects, especially after undergoing the fermentation.
Excessive drinking of the fermented palm wine can cause various ailments such as hypertension and neurological problems. It can also lead to failure of the body’s vital organs like the kidney and liver. According to FineLib.com, fermented palm wine contains 2 to 3 times more alcohol than the regular alcoholic drinks.
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