
What’re the health benefits of Ogiri? (African food spice) How to make Ogiri & Preserve it? Side effect, Tips
5 minutes read.

Have you ever eaten African recipe cooked with ogiri? You will get to know what you may be missing in this article.
Ogiri is a food spice produced from fermented vegetable plant seeds such as egwusi seeds, Mesquite seeds (Prosopis Africana), castor bean seeds (Ricinus communis), fluted pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.
It has a very strong aromatic smell that sets the whole house on a high pitch once the ogiri jumps into the soup pot. Ogiri okpei originated from West Africa, precisely the Igbo part of Nigeria and it is characteristically dark-brown in appearance.
Different parts of Nigeria have different names for ogiri okpei; for example, Igbos call it ogiri or ogiri okpei, the Yorubas call it Iru while the Hausas call it Dawadawa. In this article, I will review the proven heath benefit of eating ogiri, and its side effect, including how to make it and preserve it.
Feel free to skip ahead:
About ogiri
Ogiri has remained the pride of culinary purposes from time immemorial, and it is interesting to mention that this spice had and continues to play a major role in serving as a nutritive protein substitute (being produced from leguminous seeds) as well as serving as an aromatic flavoring for dishes, especially soups.
Apart from ogiri okpei’s distinctive taste and aroma, this spice is believed to be highly nutritive and beneficial to health.
Economically, this local spice is marketed both in Nigeria and beyond but the spices are easily obtainable from any African shops in the Western world.(2)
Ogiri Nutrition
The nutritional value of ogiri include its mineral contents like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc increased. Potassium was the most abundant mineral in the sample. Also, rich in vitamins B1, B2, and B3, but low in vitamin C and E with an essential curative agent (phytochemicals). (1)
Some scientific research in Nigeria reveals that fermented vegetable proteins are potential protein supplements. The Lipase activities in ogiri usually become very strong and on the rise during the period of fermentation. (2)
Lipase is a type of digestive enzyme or digestive juice. It helps your body digest fats, most of your lipase is made in your pancreas.
Ogiri is produced from fermented vegetable seeds and legumes that are highly proteinous and healthy.
Health Benefits
As Ogiri is made from different vegetable seeds its health benefits are numerous.
The health benefits associated with fermented castor bean seeds (Ogiri) is as a result of the numerous vitamins found in it and the phytochemical (curative agent) content of Ogiri.
For example
- Ogiri made from castor bean seeds contains a significant amount of protein, good fat, magnesium, phosphorus, and B Vitamins with an essential curative agents (phytochemicals) such as alkaloids, Saponins, Flavonoid, Phenol, and Steroids (3)


- Ogiri made from fluted pumpkin seeds contains essential nutrients in large amounts. It contains protein and high good fat, high calories, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and vitamin A, but a small amount of protein, sodium, and vitamin C. (4,5)


- Ogiri made from sesame seed and melon seed (mkpuru egusi) contains protein, good fat, magnesium, potassium, and zinc but is high in calcium and vitamin A. And curative phytochemicals. (6)



- Ogiri made from mesquite sees is very rich in protein and fiber among other essential nutrients and Vitamins. Excluding valine, every essential amino acid is found in ogiri made from mesquite seed. (7,8,9)


All these nutrients and curative agents are known to improve health and protect you from degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
For example,
1. The good fat in ogiri help to smoothen digestion. Ogiri made from castor seed is rich in ricinoleic acid (Omega 3) which is the main ingredient in castor oil. (10,11)
2. The B Vitamins (B 1, B 2, B 3, are important for making sure the body’s cells are functioning properly. They help the body convert food into energy (metabolism), create new blood cells, and maintain healthy skin cells, brain cells, and other body tissues. Vitamin A helps you to maintain good vision. (12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
3. Its protein help to build and repair your body tissues. (20,23, 24)
4. Phosphorus and calcium help in the formation of bones and teeth. This implies any African recipe prepared with Ogiri is beneficial to children and pregnant women. (26, 27,28, 29)
5. The high potassium in ogiri helps to regulate blood flow which in turn improves your heart health, also ensures proper function of the muscles and nerves, and is vital for metabolizing carbohydrates.
Scientific research reviews that increasing dietary potassium has a potential benefit for lowering the risk of hypertension, the major risk factor for the development of stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and end-stage renal disease. (30, 31)
6. Ogiri is high Iron content is also very beneficial. Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development.
Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. Your body also needs iron to make some hormones. (32, 33)
7. In addition, its high magnesium content benefits your health. Because magnesium is important for many processes in the body. It is needed for muscles and nerves to work properly, to keep blood sugar and blood pressure at the right level, and to make protein, bone, and DNA. (34, 35)
Low levels of magnesium over time can lead to low calcium and potassium levels.
How to make ogiri/ogiri okpei?
Step one
The seeds of choice are first sorted, washed, and cleaned thoroughly in clean water. Remember that you can use either egusi seeds, fluted pumpkin, Prosopis Africana (Mesquite seeds), castor oil seeds, or sesame seeds.
Step two
Cook the seeds until they get softened so that the seeds coverings can easily peel off for easy removal. Afterward, wash the cotyledons and pour in a sieve to drain excess water.
Step three
Then add the cotyledons into a canister or vessel then cover it with local leaves like plantain leaves etc and allow staying for at least 4 days to undergo fermentation.
Step four
It is optional to place the vessel under the sunlight during the process of fermentation so as to hasten up the fermentation process.
Step five
Once the fermentation process is complete, ground the fermented seeds into a smooth thick paste, then mold it into small balls and allow it to dry under the sun. 6. Once the ogiri okpei is sun-dried, it is then ready for usage.
Remember that spicing up your meals especially soups with the ogiri local spice will not only add flavor to your meals but will also make your meals taste super aromatic, flavorful, tempting, and salivating to eat.
If you have access to the local seeds, then go ahead and follow the simple steps outlined above and make for yourself some aromatic spices at a very low cost.
How to preserve ogiri?
Fermented ogiri can last for 2 to 3 weeks while keeping it in a cool dry room temperature in your house.
However, if you want to store ogiri for more than 6 months, all you need to do is arrange it inside an airtight container or nylon bag and put it in your freezer. I have tried this method. The ogiri will still retain its texture and aroma.
Side effect
Ogiri is generally safe for human consumption, as the fermentation processes it normally undergoes reduce and remove any anti-nutritional factors that are found in some plants.
Evidently, no side effect has been reported from the consumption of ogiri right from the ancient days that the African has been using it to prepare food and remedy some diseases.
However, some people cannot withstand the strong, peculiar aromatic smell that comes from it when you want to use it to prepare recipes.
The aroma is stronger when you just finish preparing the food but after some hours it will lessen. Some people may avoid eating any food prepared with ogiri because of this.
For example, when I was a child I hated the ogiri aroma, any time my mom want to use it to cook I ran out of the kitchen or use something to cover my nose.
But when my mom finishes cooking soup, I found the soup very delicious and eat it. Now that I have grown I use the ogiri to prepare soup any time I want because am now enjoying the aroma knowing its health benefit.
Recipe tips
Ogiri can be used for different African delicacies especially.
For example
ofe ede (ora/onugbu),
ofe nsala (white soup),
melon (egusi) soup,
ogbono soup,
ofe akwu (palm fruits stew),
yam porridge, and
other recipe like abacha (tapioca) etc.
Any soup added to this ogiri is almost unavoidable. Though this spice is usually applied in very little quantity, yet its smell is unavoidably noticeable.
Conclusion
Ogiri is a food spice produced from fermented vegetable plant seeds such as egusi seeds, Mesquite seeds (Prosopis Africana), castor bean seeds (Ricinus communis), fluted pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.
The nutritional value of ogiri includes its mineral contents like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc increased. Potassium was the most abundant mineral in the sample.
Also, rich in vitamins B1, B2, and B3, but low in vitamins C and E with essential curative agents (phytochemicals).
All these nutrients and curative agents are known to improve health and protect you from degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease
You can make ogiri right from your home by following the simple steps I give in this article. Ogiri can be preserved for 3 weeks by keeping it at room temperature, but can last up to six months when you store it in the freezer. Ogiri is generally safe for human consumption.
Ogiri can be used to prepare African soup and food such as ofe ede (ora/onugbu), ofe nsala (white soup), melon (egusi) soup, ogbono soup, ofe akwu (palm fruits stew), yam porridge, and other recipe like abacha (tapioca) etc.
I hope you get the value worth your time. I appreciate the time you spend with me. Leave a comment if you like this post. Do you have any questions as regards the use of ogiri (African spice? Feel free to share with me in the comment below.
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The content provided in living Good Blog is for informational and educational purposes only. It’s not intended to provide medical advice or take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal doctor. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Living Good Blog takes no responsibility for possible health consequences of any person(s) reading or following the information in this educational content. Viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medication, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.
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