For the Health Conscious - Eating Gluten-Free

What most Nigerians said when they heard I was vegetarian

I should start of by saying; I have the world’s most accommodating mother. My freshman year of college, I decided to become a vegetarian. A Nigerian vegetarian is almost unheard of. I think she realized at an early age that I wasn't a "normal" Nigerian kid anyways. My mom learnt (excuse my British spelling – learned to you Americans) to modify her cooking for me. She didn't have to, but she did and I love her for it.

Paleo Pyramid

Anyways, I say all of this because now, as an adult, I try to follow a paleo-(ish) and gluten-free diet. Paleo-ish because I also decided to add in legumes and certain “pseudo-grains” – amaranth, quinoa etc. back into my diet - read the many benefits of paleo here. But I decided to remain gluten-free because I found that my body functions much better without gluten (although occasionally I will cheat and have a meat pie because they are so good, but then I have to deal with the pain later).

Why did I decide to be gluten free? My entire life, I suffered from symptoms of gluten-sensitivity.

Gluten Sensitivity Self-Test

How many of the following do you have? Check all that apply.

Digestive Symptoms

-Frequent bloating or gas

-Diagnosed with IBS or acid reflux

-Daily diarrhea or chronic constipation

Neurologic & Skeletal Symptoms

-Migraine or headaches

-Joint pains or aches

-Brain fog 

Hormonal & Immune Symptoms

-Depression or anxiety

-Ongoing fatigue

-Chronic eczema or acne

I literally suffer(ed) from all of them. Trying Paleo was the first time I managed to ditch those. And I felt amazing. I've never been tested but being back here I have more cheats than usual so I have more recurring symptoms.

gluten free grains

Being gluten-free (gluten-free 101) in Nigeria is not an easy task. As you can imagine, in a developing country, eating anything there because beggars can’t be choosers, and you eat as many empty calories as you can, filled with all the same kind of junk that is readily available in America. While it might actually be easier to eat healthy in Africa (in my opinion) – food fresh from garden to table etc., most people aren't educated on what's healthy, or, if you have a little bit of money then fast food is the new it-thing. 

Anyway, with that in mind, I decided to do research on things that a health-conscious person in Nigeria could eat, and with the help of my mom (I swear that woman is so awesome, always adapting to my random diets) have continued to eat gluten-free.

 Shopping: There are two types of places to shop in Nigeria.

Market (some are more modern than this)

• The cheaper of the two is the market. Now when I say market this most closely resembles a farmer’s market, artisan and crafts markets in the west all rolled in one. People have their goods outside in the open air or random stall, and there is no set price for things. You can bargain and haggle to your heart’s content. My mom loves this. You can buy almost everything you’d ever need, fruits, veggies, etc. I’d say this is the place to shop for locally grown produce for the cheapest price. Be careful that you are buying them fresh though, for example if buying a basket of tomatoes; make sure the ones at the bottom aren't rotten. I wouldn't advise you buy dairy or meat here, unless you have an established relationship with a trader you trust. I would never buy water or drinks that aren't bottled with a sealed cover, but if you have a strong immune system, you can be more adventurous. Some delicious Nigerian drinks include zobo and fura de nono, which are tasty and healthy (if made with the right stuff). You can buy cooked meals there, and there is even a section to buy and fix electronics etc. But, in buying, there is a caveat emptor – you are not given a receipt for anything, so you must be absolutely sure what you want is good. Also, you must have steel resolve to bargain ruthlessly, because for as cheap as you think you’re already getting it, it is three times cheaper. My mom is a queen at this.

• My garden oasis is the supermarkets. They are (almost) exactly, what you think of when you see supermarkets back home. These are the places I recommend for getting your imported goods – cheeses, milk, yogurt, and imported fruits (strawberries, apples, grapes are imported, while pineapples, papayas etc. grow locally and should be bought cheaper at the market – or we grow them in our backyard). This is also where you can fall into temptation with the cookies, chips, chocolates etc. (we never leave without a case of snickers, my guilty pleasure, although all chocolate must be kept refrigerated or frozen as it’s so hot it melts immediately).

So what can you eat? First, be smart. For example, buying things that you can buy in the market in the supermarket is a gross waste of money. Never buy local products from the supermarket. On the other hand, I've seen grapes and strawberries sold in the market that were just bought from the supermarket (because they are imported). Buy those there.

For the gluten-free/paleo eater

So much fruit

Fruits are in abundance. Tropical fruits you only ever dreamed of, for cheap. Guava and mangoes literally grow on trees; fall to the ground and rot. It’s ridiculous. Every morning I try to make myself a nice tropical fruit smoothie. It’s fantastic.

• Meat will never be a problem. And unlike Americans, Africans eat every part of the meat, which is recommended in paleo. My favorite Nigerian food is suya (a spicy meat grilled on spits) particularly kidney suya (you can also get liver, beef and chicken). Large fish can be bought and grilled.

• Vegetables are also in abundance, although you've probably never heard of many of them. Many locals don’t know the English names so I am trying to do as much research as I can but they are fresh healthy and delicious.

Green Plantains

Some of the things I eat that are gluten-free/paleo are – yam (not to be confused with sweet potatoes as they are in America), sweet potatoes, potatoes (occasionally), cassava (known as yucca in South America) and my all-time favorite PLANTAINS. You can do so many things with plantains – you can make fufu (which saves me in Nigerian settings), chips, and curries, use it for baking, the list is endless. I've made pancakes, biscuits, muffins etc. You can use them in varying degrees of ripeness, from green to brown. The darker they get the sweeter they become. Coconuts are easily available (locally) so you can learn to make coconut milk, flour, flakes and butter (as I did), although coconut milk in tins is available at the super market. You can buy almonds in the market (or supermarket but more expensive) and make almond milk and flour, cashews are also cheap but hazelnuts not so much (imported).

Uncooked Fonio (Acha)

Cooked with vegetables

Also cheap, in abundance, and gluten-free is a grain-like substance my mom and I "discovered". I was running low on my stash of quinoa and amaranth I brought and she told me about a local grain that looked similar called acha. She had no idea what the name was in English but after some extensive research I found its English name – Fonio. It’s gluten free and can be used to make several things. Additionally, millet is a local grain that is gluten-free and I believe buckwheat, sorghum, and even rice are gluten free as well (although I eat less of these). I try to cook with olive or coconut oil, but palm oil and palm butter are local and also very cheap. Dates are easy to get because of the Middle Eastern influence, and local honey is in abundance (it’s so dark and thick, nothing like the golden processed honey I know in the West).

A few of my favorite things to eat: plantains and grilled meat

So that, in a nutshell, is it. You can eat healthy and gluten-free if you cook for yourself and even strict paleo, if you never interact with or eat any Nigeria food ever. I had to adapt of course, but it’s doable, and I’m used to being weird, so I have no problem just saying “no thanks, I’m allergic to that”.

Happy shopping and eating in Nigeria J

P.S if none of those things are even a concern to you, then you can indulge in burgers, muffins, cakes, etc. exactly as you would in the States. Also, I advise you get a Nigerian (not me) to go to the market with you (or better yet instead of you – as the price will rise 100 fold if you look foreign), or shop at the supermarket, with a fixed price, and receipt in case you have any problems.