Honey Beekeeping: Liquid Gold Yet To Be Fully Exploited In Nigeria

Beekeeping

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Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A bee keeper keeps bees in order to collect their honey and other products that hive produces to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers.

Apart from the fact that honey and other resources generated from bees have huge economic potentials for export, bee-keeping is capable of looking after millions of jobless Nigerians. Bees contribute about $80billion annually to the economy of the United State and the Country import about one-third of these bee resources to substantiate its local production. Other countries such as Germany, Russia and Britain import bees and its resources which are used in different sector of the economy.

There is increasing awareness on the therapeutic values of honey. Unlike other therapies, it has no historical dwindling effectiveness on any disease. Since the advent of apitheraphy till date, the efficacy of honey in preventive and curative treatments has been on the increase as mans knowledge of it increases. There is no known side effect of honey as it is the case with all medicinal drugs. One of the most interesting aspects of honey – diet is in its effective way of correcting speedily, the malfunctioning of human organs.

Beekeeping

People keep bees for various reasons, such as for honey, royal jelly, propolis, bee venom, pollen (bee-bread) and bees wax for their ability to serve as pollinators of crop, or simply for the fun of learning more about the interesting and complex insects. Honeybees live in complex communities that may contain as many as 150,000 members. The vast majority of these is the unfertile female bees known as workers, they run the hive; feed and clean the queen; gather nectar, pollen, and water.

Bees use honey for their food and the excess they now pass out as waste into the combs which man collects and presses out as raw honey.

Countless thousand of people worldwide are processing this bee ‘waste’ into honey, exporting it and quietly making their millions by the day. There are no less than 30-exciting reasons why you should be involved in bee keeping business.

To start the business, a beekeeper must find a suitable location, gather the proper equipment. It is always a good idea to go for training before you get started. Bees are very easy to manage; you don’t need to cater for them like in other livestock farming. They can clean themselves, fetch their own food and water and store your harvest.

The fact that honeybees practically take care of themselves is really only a small part of their appeal. A honey colony is a mysterious and independent creation. Working with bees is a challenge and lesson in cooperation, not domination….a rare human-to-nature experience these days.

Man keeping bee

When you raise your own bees, you will be rewarded in fresh and original honey that puts adulterated roadside-bought honey to shame. You can learn how to raise honeybees that will provide you with excitement and sweetness and income for years to come. Beekeepers live longer than anyone else”. It’s a low-input and labour – saving venture.

Many beekeepers firmly believe that tending bees reduces stress. Working with bees is so calming and almost magical. You feel at home with nature, and whatever problems may have been on your mind tend to evaporate. Any health food store proprietor can tell you the benefits of the bees’ products. Honey, pollen, royal jelly, and propolis have been a part of healthful remedies for centuries. Honey and propolis have significant antibacterial qualities. Royal jelly is loaded with B vitamins and is widely used overseas as a dietary and fertility stimulant. Pollen is high in high protein and can be used as a homeopathic remedy for seasonal pollen allergies.

Apitherapy is the use of bee products for treating health disorders. Even the bees’ venom plays an important role here — in bee-sting therapy. Venom is administered with success to patients who suffer from arthritis and other medical conditions. This entire area has become a science in itself and has been practiced for thousands of years in Asia, USA, and Europe.

There is no doubt, that Nigeria has comparative advantage in the business of bee keeping than those developed countries because the nations climate condition supports this lucrative business of bee keeping all year round. With good knowledge of bee keeping, the country has the capacity to sustain local production and assist in saving and earning huge foreign exchange for Nigeria.

Bay Leaf and Jollof Rice

                   

The aroma of Kemi’s jollof rice can be perceived several metres away in the hostel. All her room mates suddenly become nice to her when she is about to cook her “wonder jollof rice”. What is her secret ingredient?
I’m sure you might have seen a certain leaf in your plate of jollof rice when you are served at a party, and wondered what it was doing there. Well, that leaf is called bay leaf and it has many other benefits apart from the rich aroma it brings to your cooking.
What is Bay Leaf?
Bay leaves are produced by the bay plant, a tall conical evergreen growing more than 30 feet tall. Bay leaves usually give off a sweet aroma when broken and added to dishes especially when slightly wilted and dry.
What Are The Types Of Bay Leaves?
Several leaves are referred to as bay leaf and can be consumed. These include the Bay Laurel often called the true bay leaf which possesses medicinal benefits, California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf, Indonesian bay leaf and West Indian bay leaf. It should be noted that the mountain laurel and cherry laurel leaves which look like any regular bay leaf are poisonous to man and can cause severe disease. (So be careful not to pick just any leaf that look like bay leaf).
What Are The Medicinal Benefits Of Bay Leaves?
In the olden days, bay leaves were eaten fresh or dried and infused into warm water to be taken internally for a variety of ailments. The resulting infusion was a diuretic, increasing urination to remove excess water from the body, and an emetic, to induce vomiting. Bay leaf also has astringent properties, which could help stop secretions due to infection and help reduce excessive sweating brought on by illness. None of these traditional uses have been backed up by modern science, as research is still being carried out on them. The many benefits of bay leaf include:

• Rich source of Vitamin A
• Rich source of Vitamin C
• Rich source of folic acid
• Good source of vitamin B complex
• Rich source of minerals such as copper, manganese, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc
• Antioxidant property: this reduces the damage to body organs and slows down aging. Can also help prevent cancers.
• Antiseptic property: can be used to clean wounds to prevent infections.
• Can stimulate appetite.
• Reduce cholesterol level

How Can Bay Leaves Be Consumed?
For culinary use, bay leaves are best used dry. The leaves are used to cook but removed before eating. However to derive medicinal benefits, fresh bay leaves are better. Food can be prepared with the fresh leaves. The leaves can also be soaked with warm water and the resulting solution drunk. This solution can also be applied to open wounds.
Are There Any Dangers Associated with the Bay Leaf?
The bay laurel is not known to cause any problems. However, care should be taken not to eat the leaves whole or in large pieces as they still remain stiff even after thorough cooking. Ignoring this could lead to choking and possible irritation of the digestive system. People with known allergy to bay leaf should not use it.
Conclusion
For centuries, the bay leaf has been believed to possess health benefits but most have not been proven by modern science. For this purpose, they are best consumed fresh. Care must be taken to avoid the similar but poisonous leaves of unrelated plants.

Health Benefits of Groundnut

                                

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), which also goes by several other names such as peanuts, earthnuts, monkey nuts, pinders, etc. is actually a legume that grows in the ground. It is a common sight during the rainy season to see little children hawking boiled groundnuts on the streets. A lot of people may be reluctant to buy a cup or two from off the streets but that should change right after you know the benefits associated with these nuts.
Groundnuts along with peas and beans are among the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom and they are also super high in polyphenols; the chief of the antioxidant group. Although peanuts are high in fat, like avocados, they are high in the “good” kind of fat – monounsaturated fat. They also contain magnesium, foliate, vitamin E, copper, arginine, and fibre – all of which are known to lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease. The nuts are really rich with significant, beneficial nutrients that are essential for optimum health. Some of these benefits are:

1. Reduces the risk of colon cancer: A number of studies have shown that nutrients found in groundnuts, including folic acid, phytosterols, phytic acid and resveratrol, may have anti-cancer effects. Eating groundnuts just 2 or more times each week has been associated with a 27% lowered risk of colon cancer in men and about twice that figure in women.
2. They contain antioxidants: Groundnuts contain high concentrations of the antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid and oleic acid, which not only protect the heart but impede the growth of free radicals, keeping infections at bay. They also lessen the risk of stomach cancer by preventing the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in the stomach.
3. They contain Vitamin B3 which boosts memory and helps lower cholesterol: The same nutrient which gives groundnuts their memory boosting power also helps reduce and control cholesterol levels. Added to that is their copper content which aids in reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol levels.
4. Cardiovascular advantages: Regular intake of groundnuts helps to lessen the effects of aging whilst preventing several cardiovascular challenges such as stroke, heart attack and hardened arteries.
5. Helps to prevent blood related problems: Groundnuts and groundnut products are very beneficial in the treatment of haemophilia and other related blood disorders. People suffering from nose bleeding also gain from eating groundnuts and it is also helpful in reducing excessive menstruation bleeding in women.
6. They help to combat depression: Peanuts are good sources of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which is important for the production of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in mood regulation. When depression occurs, a decreased amount of serotonin may be released from the nerve cells in the brain. Tryptophan may raise serotonin’s antidepressant effects when there is an increased amount of serotonin in the blood.
7. They are generally rich in vitamins and minerals: Groundnuts are rich vitamins and contain at least 13 different types of vitamins that include Vitamin A, B, C and E. Added to this, groundnuts are also rich in 26 essential minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, boron, etc. The cocktail of all these vitamins and minerals will help in brain function and development, strengthening your bones and purifying your blood.
8. Lowers Risk of Weight Gain: Eating nuts regularly is associated with a reduced risk of weight gain. Research has shown that people who eat nuts at least twice weekly are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat them.

It is important to note that allergic reactions can occur with virtually any food and as such, it is best you know your system and what goes down well with you. Groundnuts can be enjoyed raw, roasted, boiled and fried, as additives to chocolates, gravy or cookies and in peanut butter spread. Whichever way you choose to prepare your groundnut, just make sure you savour every moment of it.