Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with over 160 million people, and the population comprises 250 ethnic groups. Nigeria is the highest producer or oil in Africa, which is very important to the country’s economy. They also have their own movie production, and believe it or not, it’s called Nollywood.

A lesser known fact about Nigeria is the production of Nono. This drink, whose name sounds like something bad is about to happen, is made from fermented milk. It’s not something I’ve seen before, nor does it sound appetizing (Fermented milk? Really?), but this Nigerian delicacy has an antidiabetic effect according to researchers. Well, at least in diabetic rats it does.

A group of researchers from the Adekunle Ajasin Univerity in Nigeria carried out a study utilizing this food. In the study, the researchers induced diabetes to a group of rats by injecting them with Alloxan, a chemical that can destroy insulin-producing cells in rodents and other animals. If the insulin-producing cells (beta cells) are destroyed, blood glucose rises. This is what happens in type 1 diabetes, and this is what happened to the rats in this study.

The Nigerian researchers found that if the rats were administered Nono, blood glucose levels came back was restored to the level of the control group. The effects of Nono were evident in the first week of administration when compared to a group of diabetic rats not treated with Nono. By the fourth week, glucose levels in the Nono group went back to normal levels. The researchers argue that it could be due to the components or the lactic acid bacteria present in Nono.

This has the potential to be a breakthrough in diabetes treatment and the economic growth of the African country.