Dawadawa Benefits for Health: Vegan, Gluten Free, Fermented? (2024)

What are dawadawa benefits and side effects? Is dawadawa vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are dawadawa pros and cons: all the info on dawadawa that every ethical consumer wants to know…

Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on dawadawa benefits and side effects.

You are going to learn all about dawadawa benefits and side effects. This will include dawadawa benefits for your health and potential risks, dawadawa water footprint and dawadawa carbon footprint, dawadawa sustainability, if dawadawa is vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.

After learning if dawadawa are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.

This post is all about dawadawa benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.

Dawadawa Benefits and Side Effects

Health

Dawadawa benefits may include:

• better digestion
• improved vision
• constipation prevention
• improved blood pressure
• improved hypertension
• wound healing (when applied topically)

Great news! At this time there are no reports of serious side effects associated with dawadawa.

Dawadawa is…

• Alkaline pH level once digested (likely)
• Gluten Free
• Not a common Food Allergen
• A Fermented Food

Environment

Water footprint: likely low, African locust bean trees are able to withstand drought conditions

Carbon footprint: likely low

Destruction: low, dawadawa production is relatively sustainable, no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as there are no pesticides, buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc., date palms are extremely drought tolerant, nearly all parts of dates and the date palm tree can be used, tree trunks of date palm trees are used for fuel and building materials, date leaves can be used for weaving baskets and mats, date buds can be eaten, date seeds can be ground and roasted, the date palm can be used as asugar substitute

Dawadawa is…

• Sustainable

Animals

Kills: none, dawadawa production does not require any animals

Harms: none, dawadawa production does not require any animals

Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from dawadawa production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat

Dawadawa is…

• Vegan
• Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic

Laborers

Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible

Living conditions: varies, laborers often experience exploitation, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation

Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits

Dawadawa is…

• May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns (depends on the brand)

Is dawadawa alkaline or acidic?

Dawadawa is likely alkaline since it is a fermented, unprocessed food.

When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.

Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List

Is dawadawa gluten free?

Yes, dawadawa is gluten free. Dawadawa does not contain gluten. Dawadawa is the fermented seeds from the African locust bean, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.

While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…

Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:

• recurring abdominal pain
• chronic diarrhea
• constipation
• tingling
• numbness in hands and feet
• chronic fatigue
• joint pain
• unexplained infertility
• low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)

There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.

Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List

Is dawadawa a common food allergen?

No, dawadawa is not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to dawadawa but it is relatively rare by comparison.

A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:

• milk
• eggs
• fish
• crustacean shellfish
• tree nuts
• peanuts
• wheat
• soybeans

Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.

Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List

Is dawadawa a fermented food?

Yes, dawadawa is a fermented food.

Fermentation is an old process that can extend shelf life, provide healthy probiotics and add nutritional value. One notable nutrient is vitamin B12 -especially desirable for vegans and vegetarians, as it typically is not in plant foods.

Fermented foods help the body:

• digest food
• fight off bad bacteria
• make certain vitamins
• maintain a healthy balance
• restore gut health after taking antibiotics

When too many bad gut microbes exist it can create an imbalance between beneficial and harmful gut bacteria, which leads to health problems. In some cases intestinal walls can weaken and their contents may leak into the bloodstream, commonly referred to as leaky gut syndrome. Fermented foods strengthen intestinal walls.For optimal gut health and overall wellbeing fermented foods are a great daily addition to your diet.

Check out this Fermented Foods List to see more.

Is dawadawa sustainable?

Dawadawa production is relatively sustainable since there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. Be sure to buy non GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.

A2018 Oxford University study– which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.

Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts ofpollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes ofclimate change.

Is dawadawa vegan?

Yes, dawadawa is vegan. Dawadawa is a flavoring made from seeds of the African locust bean tree and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.

Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.

Go vegan for animals!

It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.

Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non-Vegan Foods List

Does dawadawa have human rights issues?

At this time there are no major concerns with dawadawa production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening! It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns that may come with specific brands.

Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.

Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!

Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.

Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.

We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.

This post was all about dawadawa benefits and side effects.

Sources:

Pulse: Dawadawa: 6 reasons why every family should consume locust beans