Researchers have urged Nigerians to stop consuming imported food and fruits because they contain chemicals that can be harmful to the body.
While speaking in Lagos to announce the activities to mark this year’s Herbfest with the theme: “Food as Medicine: Utilisation and sustainable Exploitation of African Medicinal Plants and Natural Products”, a professor of Pharmacognosy and CEO, Bioresources Development Group, BDG,Prof. Maurice Iwu emphasised the importance of local foods.
Iwu insisted that foods like bitter kola, coconut oil, zobo, bitter leaf, Moringa oleifera, tomato, sour sop, African bush mango, among others are very essential for the body.
He said “It is dangerous for you to eat any fruit not produced in Nigeria. There is no way fruits from Ghana or any other country imported into Nigeria without being contaminated.
“Imported chicken is already preserved with chemicals, imported bananas, are not natural and not the best and that is why people are coming down with cancers.”
Mr. Sam Oghene, Director –General, Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, NNMDA also added that HERBFEST will showcase vibrant herbs, health foods and natural products. He said there are 32 abstracts of academic papers selected from numerous scientists in various higher institutions in Africa.