By Maria Famakinwa

Mrs. Dedun Pomile (not her real name) has been battling high Blood Pressure (BP) since she was 49 years old. She has been going from one hospital to the other for a solution to no avail, when her health condition persisted, she was advised to give traditional medicine a trial which she did for two years without any reasonable results. She decided to go back to orthodox medicine yet her health condition remained the same until when she attended a health programme in Ibadan, Oyo State.

BP patients recount experience of improved health after stopping the use of seasoning cubes

Her words: “I started experiencing high BP when I was 49 years old, my BP was so high that most times, I spent days in the hospital as doctors struggled to make it normal. I hardly slept because I experienced constant headaches. I used different PB drugs and was advised to stop eating some foods which I did all to no avail. Later, I was told to give traditional medicine a trial.  I did this for another two years before I stopped when there was no improvement. One thing that surprised me was that I am the only one experiencing such out of my parent’s five children.

“Some of my family members and friends told me that it was an attack and that I should intensify my prayers, I continued praying until April 2023 when my sister living in Ibadan invited me to a health programme titled: Lifestyles to Achieve Normal BP. At the programme, we were taught different ways to achieve normal BP which I was aware of except for the advice that we should reduce our consumption of seasoning cubes if we could not stop it. They educated us on how it affect our organs thereby making the BP abnormally high. After the programme, I went to see one of the facilitators and explained my health situation to him. The man advised me to stop using any seasoning cubes immediately which I obeyed. Since then, my BP has been normal and I no longer experience headache or sleeplessness again.”

Mrs. Ponmile’s story is not different from Mr Anthony Olumanwo’s, a 62-year-old farmer revealed that he had done everything possible to make his BP normal including taking different BP drugs and herbs to no avail. His words: “High BP is the major health challenge facing my family members including me because we are fat. Mine became life-threatening when I suffered a partial stroke in the year 2020 which compelled me to adjust to an unusual lifestyle. It was then that one of the medical doctors who attended to me advised me to stop using seasoning cubes to cook instead, should use crayfish, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and other natural flavours.

“It became very difficult for me to heed the advice because I was already used to the taste of seasoning cubes. When I went for my normal routine check-up after a month, I met the same doctor who advised me earlier against using seasoning cubes and asked me if I was still using it. I kept quiet and the doctor said that I should either choose between consuming seasoning cubes or good health. I made up my mind to stop using it and see if my health would improve. To my surprise, my BP was becoming normal after four months of stopping the consumption of seasoning cubes. My speech which was affected due to the partial stroke I suffered earlier became a bit clearer. Due to this improvement in my health, we decided to stop consuming seasoning cubes in my family. The doctor was happy when I visited the hospital for my next routine check-up and disclosed that the consumption of seasoning cubes is killing Nigerians slowly. Since the year 2020 when I stopped using seasoning cubes and embraced the natural flavours as advised by the doctor to spice my foods, my health has been improving and my BP normal,” he said.

How did humans discover seasoning?

Early documentation suggests that hunters and gatherers wrapped meat in the leaves of bushes, and accidentally discovered that this process enhanced the taste of the meat, which later led to humans adding flavor to their food through various herbs and spices.

History also has it seasoning was introduced to cater to the palate of the poor who could not afford to buy chicken, fish, and other proteins. Seasoning cubes in different flavours afforded the poor to have a taste of the different flavours of proteins that they could not afford.

Therefore, experts argue that seasoning cubes cannot be good for health if it was invented as an alternative.

Experts decry the danger of consuming seasoning cubes

Some Nigerians are facing similar health challenges today without tracing it to the consumption of seasoning cubes. The use of seasoning cubes to enhance the flavour of food has been on the increase in recent times. The health hazards these flavour enhancers pose to health are unknown to ignorant consumers. They only want to eat food with good taste without consideration of its effects on their health. Even when there are available and affordable alternatives like crayfish, turmeric, ginger, and garlic among others, many still consume these additives seasoning cubes that silently, slowly send innocent souls to their early graves as  investigation revealed that the primary ingredients in most of these seasonings cubes impact one’s health negatively. Experts who spoke with The Hope revealed how the consumption of seasoning cubes negatively impacted pepole’s  health.

The Hope spoke with Dr Omowumi Afolabi, Senior Registrar, Community Health Department, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo. She explained that though, seasoning cubes are used for food enhancers but unknown to consumers of their inherent health risks.

She said: “High content of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), artificial flavor enhancers, and preservatives in seasoning cubes poses serious health risks when consumed excessively. Seasoning cubes contain large amounts of sodium, which can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure). Excess sodium causes water retention, increasing blood volume and putting stress on the heart and blood vessels. Over time, this raises the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure. It can also lead to kidney damage. The kidneys regulate sodium levels in the body,  consuming too much sodium from seasoning cubes can overload the kidneys, leading to kidney stones, kidney failure, or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Individuals with pre-existing kidney conditions are at an even higher risk.

“Consuming excess seasoning cubes damage the liver since the liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying harmful substances, regular consumption of processed seasonings with artificial chemicals can burden the liver, leading to fatty liver disease, inflammation, and potential liver damage over time. Seasoning cubes also cause endocrine disruptions and hormonal imbalances because certain artificial ingredients in seasoning cubes may interfere with the endocrine system, affecting the thyroid gland and hormone production. This can lead to weight fluctuations, fatigue, and metabolism-related disorders among others.”

Dr Afolabi advised consumers to limit their intake of seasoning cubes or opt for natural seasonings to promote better overall health.

In the contribution of Prof. Ola Salawu,

of the Department of Food Biochemistry and Functional Foods, who also doubles as the Director, of the Quality Assurance Management Unit, Federal University of Technology Akure. (FUTA) explained that all seasoning cubes have high sodium content in common which could lead to potential risks. Prof Salawu who also revealed that some variants may contain MSG, which can cause adverse reactions in sensitive individuals added that some variants are contaminated with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium which can cause neurological damage, kidney damage, and cancer as he advised consumers who cannot do without it to reduce it’s intake.

His words: there are general health risks associated with seasoning cubes consumption like high sodium content which if consumed excessively can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

“Also, Heavy metal contamination, some seasoning cubes may be contaminated with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium, which can cause neurological damage, kidney damage, and cancer. Likewise, excessive consumption of seasoning cubes can contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance and increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, he added.”

Consumers should use seasoning cubes in moderation to minimize the risk of excessive sodium and artificial flavor enhancer consumption. Better still, alternative seasonings commonly consumed in Nigeria, which are made from herbs and spices with health benefits and lower potential health risks should be embraced like ginger, garlic, black pepper, and locust beans among others.