A review of health benefits of fermented Munkoyo, Chibwantu beverages and medicinal application of Rhynchosia roots

Fermented cereal-based beverages made from Maize, Sorghum, Pear millet and Finger millet play a crucial role in attaining food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many such different spontaneously fermented beverages have been processed and consumed for a long time in Africa. They have received attention as energy beverages in social gatherings but also recommended as weaning beverages in rural communities. Munkoyo and Chibwantu are administered for health benefits in children. This is because they contain diverse microbial community, some of which are probiotics beneficial in the Gut Intestinal tract (GIT). Munkoyo and Chibwantu are also used to induce lactation (as galactogogues) in mothers with difficulties to produce breast milk. This is possibly because of nutrition composition of Munkoyo and Chibwantu after fermentation and presence of phytochemicals in Rhynchosia roots. This review investigates Munkoyo and Chibwantu beverages to provide probiotics, galactogogues as health benefits and medicinal application of Rhynchosia roots.