Africa is rich in minerals, plants and wildlife, and one particular plant is one not to miss out on. Prekese aka Aidan Fruit is packed full of amazing nutrients and components that when added to your diet will help enrich your life and make you healthier. Its latin name is Tetrapleura tetraptera, meaning four sided plant because of its four sides. The people of ghana often call it ’emogya dro’ meaning blood tonic. Let’s look at the benefits of Prekese.

What Is Prekese?

Prekese, is a plant primarily grown in West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Liberia, Congo). It has been consumed by West Africans for centuries and its benefits are well known by the people. The fruit is dark brown in coloursand harbours 4 hard jutted edges, with two possessing the ‘meat’ for consumption. The whole fruit is commonly used in soups such as pepper soup and alternatively made into a tea. It can also be grinded for other uses. Because prekese has a lovely aroma, it was historically used to scent lotions made from the fruit of the oil palm tree (palm oil).

Facts About Prekese

Latin name: Tetrapleura tetraptera
Other names: Aidan Fruit, Ubukirihu, Oshosho, Aridan, Imiminje, Ighimiaka, Osakirisa, Apapa, Edeminang, and Ighirehimi
Native region: West Africa
Flowers: Yes

The Nutritional Properties of Prekese

Prekese is highly nutritious as it contains numerous beneficial nutrients for the body. Not only is prekese rich in iron but it is abundant in vitamins such as vitamin A, B, C, E, as well as contain zinc, potassium, selenium and calcium. Because of this, it is recommended to drink prekese tea on a weekly basis, to benefit from its greatness. Even drinking prekese tea on a daily basis is good, but always consult your doctor if you have any underlying conditions. Now let’s deep dive into the many benefits of prekese.

The Benefits of Prekese

Prekese for Diabetes Management

According to WHO, over 830 million people worldwide have diabetes. For those that are diabetics, adding prekese to the diet is the way to go. Studies show that prekese is good for managing blood pressure because it contains a significant amount of flavonoids. Flavonoids are a phytochemical compound present in almost all fruits and vegetables and has shown to possess high potential in combating diabetes. Prekese has been used for generations by the local people of Nigeria and Ghana in treating diabetes and hypertension. As Prekese is rich in fibre, it works to bind to the glucose and lower its content inside the body.

Prekese for Weight Loss

Excessive weight gain can occur due to a number of factors such as insulin resistance, oxidative stress and metabolic syndrome. As well as reducing your carbohydrate, sugar, and soda intake, prekese is a fantastic food to consume if you want to lose weight. Providing significant liver support, prekese has the ability to stimulate the function of the liver. Drinking prekese as a tea on a regular basis will help to target fat stores in your body and melt them away.

Prekese for PCOS/Fibroids

Because prekese is so rich in iron and vitamin D, it makes it the perfect antidote to shrinking fibroids. Many have noted that after consuming prekese regularly, it helped to shrink their fibroids by 2cm. Prekese is wonderful in alleviating endometriosis and PCOS inflammations, especially as it is antioxidant. Because of the heavy bleeding that many women go through during the menstrual cycle, consuming prekese is great in restoring haemoglobin levels and preventing anemia and fatigue.

Prekese for Postpartum Mothers

Whether you are African or not, getting hold of prekese after childbirth is key. Prekese has been used by West Africans for centuries due to its ability to prevent contractions post-delivery. It is great in building up the blood lost during childbirth as it is rich in iron. Nigerian postpartum mothers, during their omugwo period (confinement period), typically consume a lot of pepper soup which includes prekese because of its rich nutrients suitable for mothers and in aiding breastmilk production. It is possible that it may benefit pregnant mothers too because of this as well as managing blood pressure, therefore preventing gestational diabetes, but always consult your doctor before consuming.

Prekese for Sickle Cell Anemia

Because prekese is rich in iron, it has great potential in building up haemoglobin levels in sickle cell individuals. Studies actually state that prekese has antisickling properties and thus it is hoped that more studies will be conducted on this.

Where to buy Prekese

In the UK, particularly in the bigger cities, prekese can be bought in the markets. They are usually sold in packs and be bought typically as a pack of 3 for £1.

Conclusion

It is clear that prekese, aka aidan fruit is a superfood that can benefit everybody. The nutritional components in prekese targets most of the bodies vital organs, thus promoting overall good health and immunity. It is good to know these benefits of prekese so that you can incorporate it into your diet and share its wonderful properties with others. Do you use prekese? How often do you drink it? And what knowledge has been passed down to you about prekese? Please share in the comments!