Many Nairobians will never mention this but its true ninety percent of them eat at the food kiosks that are built by the city council.
These small stalls often offer good food at affordable prices. I happen to have lunch at a similar stall in westlands near the Southern Mayfair Hotel, whenever my pockets don't allow me to go to King fries.
The menu here is the same, which is Nyama( Beef), Matumbo(Beef Intestines), Ndondoo( Kidney beans), Sukuma wiki, Supou ya bones(Beef bones soup) and either Chapati and Ugali. Most of the time these places are looked down upon but the qulaity of food i enjoy at my Kibanda ya Mutiso is not comparable to any restaurants i have ever visited.
All meals costing 50bob are enough to satisfy even the construction workers who carry very heavy loads as they work to build the beautiful buildings we live and work in, In Westlands.
My favorite meal whenever i go there is the supu ya bones and ugali. This leaves me battling myself against sleep in the afternoons when i go back to the office.
As simple as it sounds its just a simple meal with very high nutritional value.
Major Constituents of Bones and Bone soup:
Cartilage
Cartilage is formed primarily from collagen and elastin proteins, but also contains glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), chondroitin sulfate, keratin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid. The cartilage from joints is the kind incorporated into bone broth.
Chondroitin sulfate is a structural component of cartilage and is essential in maintaining the integrity of the extracellular matrix. It also lines the blood vessels, and has been found to play a role in lowering cholesterol and the incidence of heart attacks. It is often sold as a supplement for treating joint pain associated with osteoarthritis and has been shown to improve inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract.
Studies have found shark cartilage to be useful in the treatment of joint disease and in the stimulation of immune cells, but these supplements can be very expensive. Using cartilage-rich beef knuckles and ribs in a bone soup can be an effective and easily absorbable alternative. Cartilage may be useful in the treatment of:
Arthritis
Degenerative joint disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
Lowered immune function
Bone Marrow
There are 2 types of marrow in bones, yellow and red. At birth, all bone marrow is red, and as we age it gradually converts to the yellow type until only about half of our marrow is red. In cases of severe blood loss, the yellow marrow can change back to red marrow as needed, in order to increase blood cell production.
The yellow marrow is concentrated in the hollow interior of the middle portion of long bones, and is where lipids and fats are stored. The red marrow is found mainly in the flat bones, such as the hip bone, sternum, skull, ribs, vertebrae and scapula, and in the cancellous ("spongy") material at the proximal ends of the long bones such as the femur and humerus. Red marrow is where the myeloid stem cells and lymphoid stem cells are formed.
The red marrow is an important source of nutritional and immune support factors extracted in the cooking of bone soup. It contains myeloid stem cells which are the precursors to red blood cells, and lymphoid stem cells, the precursors to white blood cells and platelets. The red marrow produces these immature precursor cells, which later convert to mature cell outside the marrow.
Red blood cells carry oxygen to other cells in the body
White blood cells are essential for proper functioning of the immune system
Platelets are important for clotting
Glycine and Proline
Glycine and proline are particularly important amino acids present in bone soup. Glycine is a simple amino acid necessary in the manufacture of other amino acids. It is a vital component in the production of heme, the part of the blood that carries oxygen. It is also involved in glucogenesis (the manufacture of glucose), supports digestion by enhancing gastric acid secretion, and is essential for wound healing. It is a precursor amino acid for glutathione and large amounts are needed for the liver to detoxify after chemical exposure.
soups can be used in modified fasting and cleansing programs. In these situations, glycine is used for gluconeogenesis and to support phase I and II detoxification. During fasting, because little or no food or energy source is being consumed, protein tissues such as muscle often break down. With broth, glycine is consumed, which limits or prevents degeneration during the fast and is also beneficial to the detoxification process.
Proline is an amino acid essential to the structure of collagen and is therefore necessary for healthy bones, skin, ligaments, tendons and cartilage. It is found in small amounts in many foods, but vitamin C is necessary to metabolize proline into its active form. Small amounts can be manufactured by the body, but evidence shows that adequate dietary protein is necessary to maintain an optimal level of proline in the body. It has also been shown to have a beneficial effect on memory and in the prevention of depression. Glycine and proline needed for:
Manufacture of glucose
Enhancing gastric acid secretion
Soft tissue and wound healing
Healthy connective tissue
Effective detoxification by the liver
Production of plasma
Collagen and Gelatin
There are at least 15 types of collagen, making up about 25% of all the protein in the body. It is present in bones, ligaments, tendons and skin (type I collagen), in cartilage (type II collagen), and in bone marrow and lymph (type III collagen, called reticulin fiber). The word collagen comes from the root "kola", meaning glue.
Basically, collagen is the same as gelatin. Collagen is the word used for its form when found in the body, and gelatin refers to the extracted collagen that is used as food. Bone suoup produces a rubbery gelatin when cooled. Most commercial gelatin products are made from animal skin and often contain MSG, but broth made from bones produces a much more nutritious gelatin that contains a wide range of minerals and amino acids.
Poor wound healing, bleeding gums, and bruising are often been attributed to vitamin C deficiency, however the problem is actually a collagen deficiency, as vitamin C is needed to synthesize collagen. Gelatin has also been found to help heal the mucus membranes of the gastrointestinal tract in cases of inflammation such as irritable bowel syndrome or in "leaky gut syndrome".
Gelatin is rich in the amino acids proline and glycine. Although it is not a complete protein itself, it provides many amino acids and therefore decreases the amount of complete protein needed by the body. Dr. N. R. Gotthoffeer spent 20 years studying gelatin and found that convalescing adults who have lost weight due to surgery, dysentery, cancer and other diseases fare much better if gelatin is added to their diet. Studies on gelatin show that it increases the digestion and utilization of many dietary proteins such as beans, meat, milk and milk products. Collagen is helpful in:
Soft tissue and wound healing
Formation and repair of cartilage and bone
Healing and coating the mucus membranes of the gastrointestinal tract
Facilitating digestion and assimilation of proteins
Minerals
Minerals are essential to life, providing the basis for many important functions in the body. They are necessary for the development of connective tissue and bone, create electrical potential that facilitates nerve conduction, and are catalysts for enzymatic reactions. Many people in the U.S. are deficient in one or more minerals, usually due to dietary deficiencies or poor absorption. Broth offers easily absorbed extracted minerals and supports utilization of the minerals by promoting the health of the intestinal tract.
Bone is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus, and to a lesser degree, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate and fluoride. Hydrochloric acid, produced by the stomach, helps to break down food but is also necessary to extract elemental minerals from food. For this reason, when making bone broth, an acid is necessary in order to extract the minerals from the bone. This is the purpose of adding a "splash" of vinegar when making broth.
Calcium is necessary for healthy bones, muscle contraction and relaxation, proper clotting and tissue repair, normal nerve conduction, and endocrine balance. Calcium deficiency includes symptoms of osteomalacia and osteoporosis, brittle nails, periodontal disease, muscle cramps and spasms, palpitations, depression, insomnia, and hyperactivity.
Phosphorus is necessary for the generation of energy in the body, as it is an important ingredient of ATP. It is also a critical component of cell membranes and helps regulate intracellular pressure. A deficiency in phosphorus can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, muscle weakness, celiac disease, osteomalacia, and seizures.
Magnesium is the most common dietary deficiency in the U.S. The mineral is involved in over 300 enzyme reactions, is a cofactor for vitamins B1 and B6, and is involved in the synthesis of proteins, fatty acids, nucleic acids and prostaglandins. Proper nerve transmission, muscle contraction and relaxation, and parathyroid gland function are dependent on magnesium.
So please go ahead and enjoy that bones soup at your local kiosk without being ashamed of it its more healthy that the fries ans sausages we all love to eat.
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