West African Diet

Africa, the second largest continent in the world, is rich in geographic and cultural diversity . It is a land populated by peoples with histories dating to ancient times and cultures shaped by innumerable tribes, languages, and traditions.  the culture of food and eating in the different regions of Africa is important to people throughout the world.


Within West Africa, there is considerable variation in the staple food. Rice is predominant from Mauritania to Liberia and across to the Sahel, a region that stretches across the continent between the Sahara and the southern savannas. Couscous is the prevalent dish in the Sahara. Along the coast from Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to Nigeria and Cameroon, root crops, primarily varieties of yam and cassava, are common. Cassava, imported from Brazil by the Portuguese, is boiled and then pounded into a nearly pure starch. Yam is the chief crop in West Africa and is served in a variety of dishes, including amala , iyan (pounded yam) and egwusi (melon) sauce. Millet is also used for making porridge or beer.

The African Diet

Throughout Africa, the main meal of the day is lunch, which usually consists of a mixture of vegetables, legumes , and sometimes meat. However, though different meats are considered staples in many areas, . However, fish is abundant in coastal regions and in many lakes.

The combination of various foods is called stew, soup, or sauce, depending on the region. This mixture is then served over a porridge or mash made from a root vegetable such as cassava or a grain such as rice, corn, millet, or teff. Regional differences are reflected in variations on this basic meal, primarily in the contents of the stew. The greatest variety of ingredients occurs in coastal areas and in the fertile highlands. Flavorings and spiciness have varied principally due to local histories of trade. In the traditional African diet, meat and fish are not the focus of a meal, but are instead used to enhance the stew that accompanies the mash or porridge , Meat is well-liked among carnivorous (meat-eating) Africans.

Traditional Cooking Methods.

Traditional ways of cooking involve steaming food in leaf wrappers for instance moi-moi from Nigeria, ( or corn husks), boiling, frying in oil, grilling beside a fire, roasting in a fire, or baking in ashes. in some Africans countries, cooking outdoors or in a building separate from the living quarters are their traditions . African kitchens commonly have a stew pot separately due to often use, staple meals are normally eaten with the hands.

West African Fruit.

Plantain, a variety of banana, is abundant in the more tropical West Africa. Sweet plantains are normally fried, while hard plantains are boiled or pounded into fufu. Dates, bananas, guava, melons, passion-fruit, figs, jack-fruit, mangoes, pineapples, cashews, and wild lemons and oranges are also found here.

Protein Sources.

Meat sources of protein include cattle, sheep, chicken, and goat, though beef is served all the times not just for holidays and special occasions. Fish is eaten in the coastal areas. Because of the Islamic influence, pork is localized to non-Muslim areas. In these regions, "bush meat" is widely eaten, including bush rat, a large herbivorous rodent, and antelope. Giant snails are also eaten in various parts of West Africa.