Apples are a staple fruit in South African stores, with different locally grown varieties exported to other countries. But a Facebook post doing the rounds in the country claims that their seeds are poisonous. “Apple seeds contain Amygdalin,” it reads. “If the seeds are chewed or crushed they will convert into cyanide, that is highly…

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation (FGM), a national daily reported the country’s minister for women affairs, Pauline Tallen as saying. Punch newspaper said Tallen was speaking in October 2021 at an event to raise awareness about FGM and cancer in the capital Abuja where she said the government would…

A graphic shared on Facebook over 340,000 times lists 14 “viral pathogens” and how long it took to develop a vaccine against them from the date of their discovery. The graphic is captioned, in Afrikaans: “Vir al die slim mense wat die vaccine vergelyk met oa die polio vaccine.” This translates to: “For all the…

“Cure for diabetes and helps you lose 11 kilos in 25 days,” reads text on a video showing a smoothie recipe, posted on Facebook. The smoothie is made by blending two bananas, five kiwis, two apples with their skin, one “coat” of cabbage and half a litre of water together. The video advises that the…

“Start standing your ground,” urges a message posted on Facebook in South Africa. It’s a script for an imagined conversation about Covid-19 vaccination between staff and a guest in a restaurant. The message seems to have originated in the USA. It’s headed “VACCINATION CARD” and suggests that showing proof of vaccination against Covid in a…

Water in which raspberry leaves and nettles have been boiled, with honey added, can make period cycles regular, treat fibroids, relieve menstrual problems and boost breast milk, claims a message posted on Facebook. “If you have irregular menstrual cycles, try an infusion of raspberry leaves and nettles, macerated in boiling water, for 5 min. Filter and drink the infusion,…

Coconut water given “every six hours” will “stop frequent stooling, diarrhea and dysentery” in infants and small children. That’s the claim in a dangerous message posted on “The Professor”, a Facebook page run from Nigeria. The message says infants up to six months old should be given “two spoonfuls of the coconut water every six hours”, and babies aged…

“How to cure BED-WETTING Naturally,” begins a message posted on Facebook in Nigeria in March 2021. It claims a mixture of egg, black seed oil and milk is a “very effective” cure for bedwetting in adults. “When we say cure for bed-wetting, we are only referring to bed-wetting in adults or grown up people and not kids. It's very necessary…

A Facebook post claims that turmeric mixed with milk can treat and cure a number of ailments. The turmeric plant is part of the ginger family. Its underground stems are orange-yellow, have a peppery aroma and are used to make the spice turmeric. Asthma and cancer are among the diseases the post claims this mixture can cure. Is this…

Africa Check has debunked several versions of the claim that inhaling hot steam, sometimes from boiling fruits or vegetables, can cure Covid-19. The misleading claim has even been spread by a former Tanzanian president and a South African political party’s youth league. A new version of the claim, in Afrikaans and attributed to “Dr Marisa Emeg”, has been posted several times on Facebook in South Africa. It instructs readers: “U moet die virus doodmaak in die neus met…

A Facebook post about the “healing powers” of the banana flower claims it is a “miracle food”. The post lists a number of its supposed health benefits, including the ability to “prevent” conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease, cancer and heart disease. But how accurate are these claims? And what’s the science behind them? Antioxidants at root of many misleading ‘miracle’ claims…

Malnutrition is hurting growth in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said at an event focused on nutrition policy.Sanwo-Olu is a medical doctor and married to the state’s governor. In an April 2021 speech read on her behalf, she reportedly urged the state to approve two policies focused on nutrition. Sanwo-Olu also gave statistics to show how bad malnutrition is…