Melon seeds, which are locally called Egusi, come from bitter apple fruit. Egusi is a staple food in Nigeria and other West African countries used for soup or stew.
Nigerians grind egusi seeds before cooking them with leafy-green vegetables, meat, palm oil, herbs, and seasonings to form a thick soup.
Egusi is full of health benefits and is also an excellent source of protein, and minerals like potassium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
It possesses vitamin E, A, B2, and B1, and some compounds that prevent certain chronic diseases.
Here are some of the health benefits of including melon seed in your daily diet.
- Boosts appetite and aids digestion
The dietary fiber in Egusi helps to improve the digestive system and makes digestion easy. It prevents any form of digestive disorder like constipation and irregular bowel movement.
Egusi also improves appetite due to the Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) present in the seeds.
A study also showed that thiamine doesn’t only improve appetite but also increases one’s body weight, and general well-being and also decreases fatigue.
- Reduces cholesterol level
Egusi is a rich source of unsaturated fats and beneficial fats. These fats help in reducing the cholesterol levels in the body thereby lowering the risks of heart disease.
- Improves skin
Consumption of Egusi will improve your skin and prevent aging because it has abundant niacin.
Nicotinic acid, also called niacin, has been proven to be effective in reducing and smoothing out wrinkles and also treating acne.
- Great for hair health
The rich source of protein, magnesium, and copper help maintain healthy hair.
The protein in Egusi improves hair growth, magnesium prevents hair breakage and copper boosts melanin production.
A study in animal studies also showed that Egusi seeds extract increases hair follicles.
- Source of antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that fight against disease-causing free radicals in the body.
Egusi seeds are rich in zinc, copper, vitamin E and A which prevent cell damage and boost immunity.
A study showed that these antioxidants are beneficial in preventing metabolic diseases like cancer, ulcer, and diabetes.
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