Why pounded cassava and plantain “fufu” is killing you slowly

One of Ghana’s most popular dishes is fufu, but behind our passion for it, we hide the truth that eating fufu is killing us. Plantains and pounded cassava are combined to make fufu. It is usually eaten with local soup, although some people like it with pepper. These are the possible reasons why fufu can kill you.

1. Fufu is swallowed directly without chewing: Because it is made from cassava, fufu contains carbohydrates and is eaten without chewing. Carbohydrates are broken down in the mouth, eating fufu whole without chewing it increases the time it takes for them to be broken down.

This can lead to gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, bloating and stomach pain. What’s more, because we eat them at dinner, we don’t have enough time to digest them before we go to bed, which could be a deadly health risk.

2. The body converts fufu into toxic cyanide if the cassava and plantain are not properly boiled before pounding. The result is serious illness, including myalgia, tachycardia, tachypnea, acute vomiting and abdominal discomfort.

3. Fufu also has carcinogenic potential which may cause cancer: These carcinogens do this by changing the DNA of a cell. Although sometimes they do not change the DNA directly, they can speed up cell division, which increases the possibility of a genetic change.

I understand how upsetting it is to learn these disturbing details about the cuisine we love so much, but there are times when we must let go of the things we hold dear for the sake of a greater good. Remember it’s all about too much of everything being bad.