Against the narratives that cowhide otherwise known as Ponmo contains no nutritional benefit, a dietitian, Mrs. Oluwakemi Olanrewaju, has said it provides the body with important nutrients.
In an interview with our correspondent, Olanrewaju said although Ponmo had low nutritional value when compared to other protein sources, it contained beneficial nutrients and contributes adequately to peoples’ diets.
She said, “Over the years, people have debated about the nutritional value of Ponmo. Growing up, we were told that it doesn’t contain any nutrient and it is just considered as skin but after so many scientific studies, Ponmo actually contains beneficial nutrients which provide the body with important nutrients.
“A 100g of boiled, thick cow skin contains about 224.65kcal of energy, 6.80g of carbohydrate, about 43.9g of water, 46.9g of protein, 1.09g of fat, and 0.02g of fibre. For micronutrients, it contains small amounts of calcium (61mg), iron (4.3mg), magnesium (12mg), phosphorus (36mg) and Zinc (6.79mg).
“Although Ponmo has low nutritional value when compared to other protein sources because it doesn’t contain all essential amino acids, it contains a lot of collagen which is the most abundant protein in our bodies. Because our bodies produce collagen, it is not essential that we must eat collagen for growth. However, as we grow older, our ability to produce collagen reduces leading us to have wrinkles.”
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The expert said it was important that people cook their cowhides properly before consuming them.
“It is highly recommended to sundry, soak in water and wash Ponmo to reduce the level of some contaminants. It is best to remove the hair and boil it properly before consumption.
“Ponmo is a good weight loss substitute that is unique with fewer calories and tastes nice when properly cooked in dishes. However, it should not be a replacement for great sources of complete protein such as beef and fish,” she said.
*The Punch
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