Githeri is a traditional Kenyan staple that has a lot of health benefits. It is made by mixing maize and beans in a ratio of 1:2. The mixture is either soaked, then boiled or boiled without soaking. Boiling softens the maize and beans since mostly dry maize and beans are used. In some cases, however, fresh maize can be used. The boiled mixture is then stewed with a variety of vegetables resulting in a delicious finger-licking dish

Since githeri is made from whole ingredients, this dish packs a host of health benefits. Let’s look at five health benefits of eating githeri regularly

Good for the heart

Githeri has soluble fibre which lowers blood cholesterol. It binds to cholesterol in the intestines preventing their absorption. By eating githeri, you also cut down on meat which normally has saturated fats that are bad for the heart. Research shows that eating beans regularly lowers your chance of getting heart disease.

Prevention and management of diabetes

A plate of githeri is high in fibre. Therefore, your body will take longer to digest this meal. Slow digestion means a slow release of glucose into the bloodstream. This results in better regulation of blood glucose.

People with low magnesium are at high risk of getting type 2 diabetes. This is because low magnesium levels impair the release of insulin and cause insulin resistance. Since githeri is rich in magnesium it can reduce the risk of getting type2 diabetes.

Lowers blood pressure

High blood pressure is a silent killer. In Kenya currently, 50% of adults have high blood pressure. This statistic is a dark cloud, but a plate of githeri may be the silver lining.  Githeri is low in calories, high in fibre and has healthy starches. It is therefore a perfect dish for people with high blood pressure.

Promotes weight loss

Losing weight can be a difficult task. But with githeri, you can easily shed stubborn kilograms.  Githeri is low in calories, one serving (400g) of githeri gives 32% of Kcals for a 2300Kcal diet.

Githeri is also high in fibre, and healthy carbohydrates hence digested slowly. This means you will remain feeling full for a long time. And as a result, you will have your appetite under control. All these benefits put you in the best place to lose weight.

Prevents constipation and haemorrhoids

Lastly, a plate of githeri helps prevent constipation.  Githeri has two types of fibres, Soluble fibre from the beans and insoluble fibres from the maize. These two fibres work together to make healthy poop. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to poop and makes it move faster through the colon. Soluble fibre keeps the poop soft and easy to pass. Passing healthy poop regularly protects you from having haemorrhoids which are very painful and may need surgery to remove.

Final thoughts

To avoid bloating and gassiness, always soak beans before cooking.

Read about the nutritional composition of githeri here