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Researchers say eating spekboom

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · · 1030 words · By Iman Allie
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What to know about Researchers say eating spekboom

Researchers at the University of the Free State (UFS) are advocating for spekboom to become a staple vegetable in South Africa and argue eating indigenous plants could improve SA’s food system.

Claims checked 14
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Researchers at the University of the Free State (UFS) are advocating for spekboom to become a staple vegetable in South Africa and argue eating indigenous plants could improve SA’s food system.

Why it matters

In an interview with Daily Maverick, researchers Alba du Toit and Maryna Boshoff described spekboom as “multi-purpose”.

Common ground

Du Toit is the chair of Innovative Agro-processing for Climate Smart Food Systems in the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development at UFS and Boshoff is a professor in Sustainable Food Systems in the Natural and Agricultural Sciences Faculty.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-25-bringing-home-the-spekboom-wo…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4
schedule Pending 4
info Single Source 3
verified Verified By Reference 2
verified Verified 1
verified
Claim 1: “Alba du Toit is the chair of Innovative Agro-processing for Climate Smart Food Systems in the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development at UFS”
VERIFIED
The official UFS website explicitly states that Prof Alba du Toit is the Head of the Innovative Agro-processing for Climate-smart Food Systems initiative within the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development.
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web search NEUTRAL — Prof Alba du Toit is Senior Lecturer and Head of the Innovative Agro-processing for Climate-smart Food Systems initiative within the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development at the UFS.
https://www.ufs.ac.za/research/research/research-achievement…
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web search NEUTRAL — This collaboration established seven research chairs over a five-year period, co-funded by the ARC and the UFS, and anchored in two centres of excellence (COEs) that support South Africa’s commitments…
https://www.ufs.ac.za/research/research/research-achievement…
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web search NEUTRAL — Alba Du Toit currently works at the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, University of the Free State. Alba does research in nixtamalized maize and underutilized...
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alba-Du-Toit
info
Claim 2: “it has similar nutritional value to that of dark green vegetables, such as spinach (but with less iron content)”
SINGLE SOURCE
The comparison to spinach and the note about lower iron content is specifically attributed to Boshoff in the Scrolla.Africa article, with no other source confirming this specific nutritional comparison.
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web search NEUTRAL — Spekboom has a photosynthetic mechanism which allows it to adapt to all weather conditions so it can survive extreme conditions – from drought to frost. It is also an excellent soil binding plant that…
https://www.shamwari.com/5-amazing-facts-about-spekboom/
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web search NEUTRAL — Spekboom can add value to your food, and its nutritional value is a worthwhile addition to your diet. These succulent, citrus-like flavoured plants will help you cool down and it contains important vi…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY5XeyGYDdg
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web search NEUTRAL — Boshoff said spekboom has similar nutritional value to dark green vegetables such as spinach, although it contains less iron.
https://scrolla.africa/scientists-want-spekboom-on-south-afr…
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Claim 3: “The indigenous plant is able to grow in drought conditions and relatively poor soils without irrigation or fertilisation”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Gardener's Path and Scrolla.Africa) confirm that Spekboom is adapted to poor soils and can survive drought without irrigation or fertilization.
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web search NEUTRAL — Fertilizing. Spekboom is adapted to poor soils and does not require fertilization.P. afra can grow to be a small shrub or tree when grown in the landscape, but as a houseplant it can be pruned to keep…
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/succulents/grow-elephant-bu…
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web search NEUTRAL — And Spekboom trees can grow as tall as 5 metres. Prior to the advent of large-scale livestock farming, some areas of the Eastern Cape had Spekboom forests so thick that it was said a grown human could…
https://www.samara.co.za/blog/five-things-didnt-know-spekboo…
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web search NEUTRAL — Spekboom can survive drought and grow in poor soil without irrigation or fertiliser. It also helps protect soil from erosion and removes carbon dioxide from the air as it grows. Research by Du Toit an…
https://scrolla.africa/scientists-want-spekboom-on-south-afr…
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Claim 4: “about 77.5% indicated that they would consider buying it if it were more affordable than other vegetables”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 5: “Spekboom protects the soil in which it grows and can stabilise soil that is undergoing erosion”
CORROBORATED
Both Scrolla.Africa and Shamwari confirm that Spekboom protects soil from erosion and acts as an excellent soil binding plant.
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web search NEUTRAL — It also helps protect soil from erosion and removes carbon dioxide from the air as it grows. Research by Du Toit and Boshoff found that spekboom is high in vitamin C and contains fibre. It also contai…
https://scrolla.africa/scientists-want-spekboom-on-south-afr…
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web search NEUTRAL — Discover effective methods to fix soil erosion from your foundation and secure your yard. Protect your home today!Stabilizing this beachside walkway after the soil washed out from Hurricane Helene and…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/how-to-fix-soil-eroding-from…
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web search NEUTRAL — If soil continues to erode, cracks continue to carry water, and voids continue to grow, the structure remains vulnerable. In this case, long-term replacement may eventually be necessary, but the munic…
https://heliconusa.com/when-a-dam-starts-failing-soil-stabil…
info
Claim 6: “spekboom remains high in vitamin C after being cooked”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim that vitamin C remains high after cooking is specifically mentioned by Scrolla.Africa, but not corroborated by other provided sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — Portulacaria afra (known as elephant bush, porkbush, purslane tree, dwarf jade and spekboom. in Afrikaans) is a small-leaved succulent plant found in South Africa.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulacaria_afra
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web search NEUTRAL — Researchers found that it remains high in vitamin C even after cooking. Boshoff said spekboom has similar nutritional value to dark green vegetables such as spinach, although it contains less iron.
https://scrolla.africa/scientists-want-spekboom-on-south-afr…
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web search NEUTRAL — Moreover, its high water content makes it an ideal source of hydration, potentially staving off heatstroke and dehydration in both humans and animals. The practice of cultivating spekboom for its edib…
https://www.sprig.co.za/spekboom/
info
Claim 7: “Boshoff is a professor in Sustainable Food Systems in the Natural and Agricultural Sciences Faculty”
SINGLE SOURCE
While LinkedIn confirms Maryna Boshoff is associated with the University of the Free State, the specific title of 'Professor in Sustainable Food Systems in the Natural and Agricultural Sciences Faculty' is not explicitly confirmed across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence, though it is implied by the context of the research mentioned in other claims.
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web search NEUTRAL — List of staff working at the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development.
https://www.ufs.ac.za/natagri/departments-and-divisions/Sust…
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web search NEUTRAL — Safe food and sustainable food systems through transparent, independent and trustworthy scientific advice Our topics. Our other platforms. OpenEFSA. All you need to know about our risk assessments.
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/
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web search NEUTRAL — Maryna Boshoff (de Wit). Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa. 463 followers 458 connections.View mutual connections with Maryna. Maryna can introduce you to 10+ people at University of the Free Sta…
https://za.linkedin.com/in/maryna-boshoff-de-wit-67256079
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Claim 8: “82.5% said they would be more likely to eat spekboom if they knew more about its health benefits”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 9: “One of the plant’s most significant traits is that it captures and stores carbon”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Reviving the Little Karoo, ReSpek Nature, and StudyX) confirm the plant's ability to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
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web search NEUTRAL — This carbon dioxide is used by plants for photosynthesis. They decided to investigate how quickly different plants absorb CO2. • They got three different types of plants from their local nursery: a Sp…
https://studyx.ai/questions/4lhfzte/3-3-nathan-and-nqaba-hea…
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web search NEUTRAL — The Spekboom, a plant indigenous to the Little Karoo in South Africa, has the unique ability to sequester carbon both day and night, making it a valuable tool in fighting climate change.
https://capetown.today/news/reviving-the-little-karoo-the-po…
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web search NEUTRAL — This ability to absorb carbon dioxide makes spekboom an important tool in the fight against climate change. As carbon dioxide levels continue to rise in the atmosphere, the effects of global warming a…
https://respeknature.org/blog/why-spekboom
verified
Claim 10: “Almost 80% of the respondents indicated that they would be willing to include spekboom in their diets”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided Wikipedia results are completely irrelevant (discussing Yoko Ono and mathematical approximation) and do not contain any information regarding survey percentages for spekboom consumption.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Approximately Infinite Universe is the third solo album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973 on Apple Records. A double album, it represents a departure from the experimental avant garde rock of her fi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approximately_Infinite_Univers…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — An approximation is anything that is intentionally similar but not exactly equal to something else.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approximation
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In computational learning theory, probably approximately correct (PAC) learning is a framework for mathematical analysis of machine learning. It was proposed in 1984 by Leslie Valiant. In this framewo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probably_approximately_correct…
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Claim 11: “In 2025 the former minister of agriculture, John Steenhuisen, approved the inclusion of certain indigenous crops and medicinal plants as agricultural products under the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 12: “75% of respondents indicated that they would buy spekboom if it were available in supermarkets”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 13: “A total of 120 respondents including students and staff members within the institution completed the questionnaire”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided Wikipedia results are completely irrelevant (discussing Cornell, Mississippi, and Kent State) and do not contain any information regarding a survey at the University of the Free State.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On September 16, 2026, an anonymous former student of Cornell University identified under the pseudonym Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against the university, its Chi Phi fraternity chapter, a group o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Cornell_University_rape_a…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jones County is in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,246. Its county seats are Laurel and Ellisville. Jones County is part of the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jones_County,_Mississippi
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Kent State shootings (also known as the Kent State massacre) were the killing of four and wounding of nine unarmed college students by the Ohio National Guard on the Kent State University campus i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings
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Claim 14: “spekboom is rich in moisture, provides soluble fibre, is high in vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium”
CORROBORATED
Two separate news/research summaries (South African researchers propose spekboom... and Why researchers say spekboom...) explicitly list moisture, soluble fiber, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium as components of the plant.
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web search NEUTRAL — Sep 25, 2026 · It also captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it as it grows. A study by the University of the Free State showed that spekboom contains high levels of moisture, soluble…
https://ua.news/en/world/doslidniki-u-par-proponuiut-zrobiti…
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web search NEUTRAL — Sep 25, 2026 · According to research by Du Toit and Boshoff, spekboom is rich in moisture, provides soluble fibre, is high in vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-25-bringing-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 27, 2023 · Portulacaria afra, colloquially known as spekboom, is an indigenous succulent to South Africa. This edible plant is resilient even when exposed to weather extremes and is exceptionally …
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368914008_The_Physi…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.