Is Jollof rice dangerous? Viral tweet sparks health concerns online

The beloved West African dish Jollof rice has become the subject of Twitteratis' latest hoax.

On Friday, January 20, a viral tweet was made by Twitter user @gbennylola in response to a New York Times video demonstrating a jollof rice recipe and claimed that the dish "increases the risk of gingivitis, liver malfunction, and heart problems of 4 in 5 people."

The tweet started a chain of similar responses, each listing the harmful effects of consuming the West African dish. It escalated to a point where some started to wonder whether it was true.

The rice dish comprises meat, vegetables, and spices, cooked in a rich tomato sauce, usually in one pot. There are multiple variations of the dish depending on the region, although UNESCO has officially recognized Senegal as the originator of the dish.

As a carbohydrate-rich meal, the cuisine doesn't pose any particular health risks beyond that of any other similar dish if consumed in moderation. However, according to the Jollof Festival's website, people looking forward to maintaining lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels or losing weight are recommended to avoid the dish.

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Jollof rice does not pose any specific health risk despite outlandish tweets

The rice dish is a staple in several West African countries, including Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. It can be eaten as a main or as an accompaniment.

On Friday, after the first tweet was made by @gbennylola, several more elaborate fabrications cropped up. This included false claims such as the West African cuisine being a cause of blindness, breathing troubles, and loss or limb.

It led to a point where some people started to believe the tweets and thought that the health risks were real. A couple of Twitter users also suggested that the tweets were an attempt to prevent the gentrification of the dish.

Meanwhile, a few netizens jokingly began to tweet exaggerated lies about the dish, such as it causes someone's race to change or that the dish generates its own UV rays.

Despite the plethora of tweets, no consolidated research suggests any major health risks from the rice dish. In fact, with the amount of protein and vegetables it contains, it can be considered a nutritious option.

However, like with any carb-heavy food, having only this dish in a diet can result in heart problems, diabetes, and other complications. The same can be said of burgers or lasagnas.

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Where does the dish originate?

Jollof rice (Image via Business Insider Africa)

The dish of the hour is consumed across West Africa, but many regions contest that their version is the most authentic or superior. However, UNESCO officially declared the Sengalese version as an intangible heritage of humanity, thus cementing its claim to be the true origin of the dish.

According to The Conversation Africa, the word "jollof" came from a kingdom that spanned present-day Senegal in the 12th and 13th centuries. Six centuries later, the area was colonized by the French. Between 1860 and 1940, they substituted native produce with broken rice. The influx of broken rice led to the creation of a new dish using the resources at hand, and thus, Ceebu jën, the Sengalese version of jollof rice was born.

However, contention remains as to which version is the superior in a running phenomenon known as the 'jollof wars.'