Nutritionist Explains Why You Should Not Eat Nzu
Calabash chalk, also known as “nzu” in Igbo land is a geographic material popularly consumed in West African countries for pleasure, and by pregnant women as a cure for nausea.
Studies have shown that it contains high levels of lead and other heavy metals, which can cause serious adverse effects when consumed in large amounts or over a long time.
The consumption of calabash chalk could be addictive. Experts say this habit has severe health implications which many people are not aware of, expressing concern at the rate people get addicted to the chalk.
A thirty-two-year-old fashion designer, Peace Etim, while recalling her ordeal with nzu consumption, told THE WHISTLER that she almost lost her life due to her addiction to it.
“I used to buy and eat it like a snack every time. I don’t lack it in my bag at all. I even bought a bucket of it and kept it in my house.
“I almost died when the result of the nzu surfaced. I was admitted for eight days in a hospital and even had a blood transfusion. I had the remaining one trashed with immediate effect. I thank God that for two years now, I have not craved it.”
Reacting to a post on Facebook by one Angel Munachiso Ofoegbu about the shocking truth of nzu’s highly addictive nature, many individuals stated that they had consumed the white-like chalk, without being aware of its severe health consequences, while blindly succumbing to their addiction.
Dike K. C Ojiugo said, “I really thank God that delivered me from nzu, my own story is a case study, I was eating it like tomorrow no dey, it was sucking my blood, I turned white like someone who is malnourished, my mother cried a lot for my addiction. If I don’t see nzu I will go and look for mud and start sniffing. It was serious to the extent that the sellers refused to sell to me. When I travelled out of the country, my family was so happy that I was leaving nzu.
”Low and behold, I went there and found it in one African shop and screamed joy aloud that I had found my cravings again. But the after-effect led me to seek intercessory prayers. It was God’s mercy that saved me from nzu.”
Presh Ebri, while recounting her experience, advised that anyone eating nzu should cease from it. “‘Health is wealth,’ they said. There is a serious devil behind this thing called nzu. I was so addicted to it that I suffered heavy flow and painful menstruation.”
Clare Aririahu advised during her comment, “If you want to be delivered from nzu, you have to replace the cravings with something else, like chocolate, groundnut, or sweets, just any snack. That’s how I cured mine. The thing nearly destroyed me. So each time you crave it, eat chocolate. But be careful when eating so you don’t get addicted to it. Gradually, the urge to eat nzu will die.”
Health experts say the health implications of consuming calabash chalk are particularly severe for pregnant women and children. Despite the health risk, some people still consume it for its perceived health benefits and that of reducing morning sickness.
Experts have warned that the risk associated with nzu consumption far outweighs any potential benefit it has.
A Lagos-based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Uju Onuora, in an interview with THE WHISTLER, highlighted most of the health implications of consuming nzu.
According to Onuora, there is no specific component in the smell or aroma of nzu that triggers cravings. Instead, she attributes the desire for nzu to ordinary cravings people experience, often driven by visual cues such as seeing others eat it or simply laying eyes on it.
“It is just a natural ideological response that triggers them to want it,” she said.
Onuora stated that nzu’s addiction is just the way people become addicted to smoking, alcohol, and soft drinks.
Speaking on the health implications of consuming nzu, the nutritionist pointed out that just like every other substance when consumed in excess, it becomes unhealthy.
She pointed out that the downside of nzu outweighs every benefit it has.
Onuora stated that some particles in nzu, heavy metals like arsenic, mercury and lead, when consumed, have detrimental effects on the body.
Lead, according to the nutritionist, can cause neurological issues like induced cognitive function, especially in children, adding that the effect is more detrimental in children and fetuses than adults.
She noted that this effect in children leads to difficulty in learning because of neurological impairment that affects the cognitive function in children and fetuses.
For arsenic, she said it has been found that if consumed, it has a toxicity that causes cancer, particularly skin, bladder and lung cancer
Onuora also stated that it has a bit of some cardiovascular impairment, though not necessarily in children.
The nutritionist further stated that mercury, another chemical constituent of nzu, is harmful to the nervous system and can cause impairment in the development of the fetus.
“The effect of these three substances is more in children, and this boils out to say that pregnant women that consume nzu should be careful,” she said.
Onuora further explained that there might be a case of Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) when nzu is consumed in excess causing constipation, intestinal obstruction, and also reduction of the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, which is majorly seen in two key nutrients, Iron and Zinc.
“Mercury binds with Iron in the body and reduces its absorption by the body, which is because the body does no longer see it as Iron.”
She also added that when a person consumes nzu excessively, it will gradually result in Iron deficiency anaemia.
She reiterated that for pregnant women who consume nzu, their body Iron requirement is almost double because of the new tissue forming in them, and if they are not eating enough sources of Iron, they are at high risk of suffering Iron deficiency.
“The emphasis on pregnant women is because the heavy metals in nzu can affect the fetus, which can lead to craw millstone developmental delays, neurological issues in children and also a case of malnutrition among the mothers. This is because they are dependent on the nutrients from their mother,” she said.
Onuora also pointed out that the effects of nzu also extended to dental and oral function impairment.
She said nzu can weigh down the tooth enamel which increases the means of cavity sensitivity and tooth decay, leaving the tooth to be sensitive to anything it comes in contact with.
“That’s when people complain of tingles on the tooth. The nzu has eroded the enamel (coat of protection) of the tooth thereby introducing bacteria to the tooth,” she said.
She further reiterated that nzu has no known nutritive value, instead, it has more harm to the body and advised that people should try as much as possible to desist from eating it.
“The major message I have for people is, nzu does not have any nutritive value, rather it adds to health risks and hazards to the individual’s body and fetus in some pregnant women who consume it.
“You can stop by reducing what makes you take nzu, maybe you buy it or someone buys it for you, tell the person to stop that you are no longer interested. This message is for any other thing you are addicted to, so far it has side effects on the body, stop it. Stopping it is a gradual process, you can start by reducing the quantity you take at once, and the frequency at which you take it, with time you will see yourself not eating it again.
“You can opt for healthy snacks because I learnt that those who consume nzu consider it as a snack, so go for a healthy snack. Another way of stopping the nzu is bringing a healthy diet to your table like apples, oranges, and bananas. You can even eat biscuits, it is far better than nzu, and other healthier options, like your nuts. With time, the addiction will be history,” she advised.
Nutritionist Explains Why You Should Not Eat Nzu is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
