Forzia Baidoo, a dietitian at the Meridian Medical Center, recently issued a warning to the people of Ghana to abstain from consuming fermented fish, which is also referred to as momoni in the Akan language.
According to the Oxford Reference Dictionary, momoni is a type of fish that has been fermented for six to ten hours in tropical heat, salted for one to two days, and then dried in the sun.
Ms. Baidoo issued a warning, stating that there is a significant correlation between the consumption of salty fish foods like momoni, kako, and koobi and the development of kidney diseases.
Ms. Baidoo explained that these fish do not contribute any nutritional value to the food, despite the fact that they do add flavor to it.
“There are certain foods that we do eat in Ghana here and there, such as the putrified fishes, the ones that we call momoni, kako, and kobi, among other things,” “she stated in an interview that aired yesterday on the GTV Breakfast Show.
“Since they are all high in salt, you should strive to consume only the smallest possible amount of each when you do consume it.”
They enhance the food’s flavor, but they do not contribute to the food’s nutritional value in any way. “They are harmful flavors that do a lot of damage to the kidneys,” was what she had to say about them.
The dietician issued a warning to the Ghanaians that consuming them in large quantities could be harmful to their kidneys due to the high salt content of the foods.
The kidneys are responsible for removing waste from the body, excreting excess water, and regulating the body’s electrolyte balance.
They play an essential role in these processes. Kidney disease is the 10th leading cause of death across the world, despite the significance of the condition.
According to reports from the World Health Organization, Ghana had more than 4,000 people lose their lives to kidney disease in 2020.
Ms. Baidoo went on to say that kidney disease does not show any symptoms in its early stages until up to 90 percent of kidney function has been lost.
The dietician urged the people of Ghana to adopt a healthy lifestyle by consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, animal and plant-based sources of protein, and plenty of water in order to keep their bodies in good condition.
