Interested in knowing herbs and their Twi names and uses in Ghana? You have come to the right place. In this article, we have compiled a list of all the herbs and their Twi names and uses in Ghana.
Ghana is one of the leading produces of herbs in Africa. The country is made up of several medicinal plants. According to some reports, Ghana has over 2,000 herbs herbs with their Twi or Akan names. Continue reading to learn all the herbs in Ghana and their Twi names.
What Is a Herb?
A Herb is a plant used for culinary, therapeutic or other uses. Herbs are not plants neither are they consumed for macronutrients or food. Herbs are different from vegetables and other consumable plants in a sense that herbs are used sorely for therapeutic purposes. [1]
Herbs are usually the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant. Spices, on the other hand, are dried and usually produced from other parts of the plant including roots, fruits and seeds.
Health Benefits of Herbs - Herbs and their Twi names and uses
Herbs help to prevent and manage heart disease, cancer and diabetes. They also help to reduce blood clot and provide anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties. Research has revealed that:
- Garlic, linseed, fenugreek, and lemongrass may help in cholesterol reduction.
- Antioxidants in herbs, particularly cloves, cinnamon, sage, oregano, and thyme, aid in the reduction of low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol)
- Blood sugar and insulin activities can also be aided by fenugreek.
- Herbs such as sage, oregano, leeks, mints, chives, onions also aid in cancer prevention .
Herbs and their Twi names in Ghana
1.African tuliptree – Kokonisuo
2. Gold coast bombax – AkonkodeE
3. Poison devils pepper – Kakapenpen
4. Paullinia pinnata – Tuantini
5. Alstonia boonei – Nyame dua
6. Siam weed – Acheampong
7. Morind lucida – Konkroma/ngo ne nkyene
8. Poaceae – Abirekyire abodwese
9. Deinbollia grandifolia – Asikoto
10. Pycnanthus angolensis – OteE
11. Pisonia aculeata – Akobowere
12. Scent leaf – Nunum
13. Justicia flava – Afema
14. Jute mallow – Ayoyo
15.Balm – Emee (emmanex herbs)
16. Punarnava – Aposumpo
17. Negro pepper – Hwentia
18. Indian-almond – Abrofo nkate
19. Wireweed – Obrane atu ata
20. Lantana Camara- Ananse dokono
21. Nettle – Honhon/Bonhon
22. Cloves – pepre or dadoa amba
23. Mistletoe – Nkranpan
24. Anise – Nkitinkiti
25. Purslane – Adwera
26. Wormweed – Ahahanhene
27. Griffonia – Kagya
28. Stinking weed – Nkodaankodaa brodeE
29. Anthocleista nobilis – Owudifuokete
30. Phyllanthaceae – Bowommaguwakyi
31. Abelmosk -Okra/ nkruma
bind me )
33. Butterfly pea annanse trumuhoma
34. India almond -abrofo nkatie
35. Nettle – bonhon or honhon
36. Basil – Akoko Mesa
37. African nutmeg – wedie abain
38. Guinea pepper – efon wisa
39. African locust beans – dawadawa
40. Fennel seed – Nkitinkiti
41. Mint leaves – nunum
42. Scotch bonnet pepper – kpakposhito
43. Alligator pepper – Efon wisa
44. Stinking fish – momone
45. Ginger – akekaduro
46. Black pepper – esoro wisa
47..purslane – adwera
48. Mucuna pruriens – aduapia
49. Amaranthus spinosus – Nkasenkase
50. Hyssop - adwera
There are some other herbs commonly used for culinary and therapeutic purposes which we could not get their names in Twi. If you know the names of any of the herbs below in Twi, do not hesitate to let us know in the comments section.
1. Ashawanga
2. Garlic
3. Orange pill
4. Rosemary spices
5. Thyme
6. Dill seeds
7. Tumeric
8. Cedar
9. Ginger oil
10. Bay leaves
11. Sage plant
12. Curry leaves
13. Black pepper
14. Fenugreek seeds
15. Organo plants
16. Chia seeds
Top Most Used Herbs
Below are some of the most used herbs in the kitchen:
1. Dill
2. Basil
3. Rosemary
4. Cilantro
5. Oregano
6. Mint
7. Sage
8. Thyme
9. Parsley
Why Do People Prefer Herbal Medicine?
- One of the commonest reasons people prefer herbal medicine is the cost. Herbal Medicine costs lesser than the prescription drugs.
- According to research, herbal medicines have fewer side effects. There are no severe side effects in consuming herbal medicine.
- Another benefit of herbal medicine is that, it can be used for multiple purposes. For instance, Ginko herbs are good for circulatory disorder, but also help enhance memory.
Disadvantage of Herbal Medicine
There are, however, disadvantages to herbal treatments, such as lack of regulation and dosage instructions. In order to provide safest and most effective ways to use herbal medications, it is recommended that more doctors should be trained in the field of pharmacognosy.
What is Twi and why is it important?
Twi (also known as Akan kasa, or Akan-speak) is a dialect of the Akan language spoken in Ghana. It is the major language spoken by the people of Ghana after English. According to Wikipedia, over 80% of the Ghanaian population speak speaks Twi as their a second or first language.
Conclusion
The above are some of the herbs and their Twi names and uses as at the time of writing this article. There are other herbs we have not been able to mention in this post. If you wish to update us on any herb and their Twi names, you can leave your comment in the comments section.
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Great information
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