Melon Seed (Egusi)

 



Egusi 'Yoruba'(also known as agusi, egwusi , ohue, Ikpan, Ikon, agushi or mbíka) is the name for the protein-rich seeds of certain cucurbitaceous plants (squash, melon, gourd), which, after being dried and ground, are used as a major ingredient in West African cuisine.[1][2]

Egusi seeds with shells

Egusi melon seeds are large and white in appearance; sometimes they look brownish or off-white in color but the main egusi color is primarily white.[3]

Scholars disagree whether the word is used more properly for the seeds of the colocynth, those of a particular large-seeded variety of the watermelon, or generically for those of any cucurbitaceous plant.[4] Egusi seeds are in a class of their own and should never be mistaken for pumpkin or watermelon seeds. In particular the name "egusi" may refer to either or both plants (or more generically to other cucurbits) in their capacity as seed crops, or to a soup made from these seeds and popular in West Africa.[5]

The characteristics and uses of all these seeds are broadly similar. Major egusi-growing nations include Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Mali, and Cameroon.[4]

Species from which egusi is derived include Melothria sphaerocarpa (syn. Cucumeropsis mannii) and Citrullus lanatus.[6]


Health Benefits Of Egusi

1 | Prevents diabetes: Diabetes occurs when your body is unable to respond to insulin (the hormone that lowers blood sugar) and/or when it is unable to produce sufficient insulin.

In Iranian diabetic patients, egusi fruit capsules lowered HbA1C and fasting blood glucose levels after two months. Egusi seed oil also reduced blood sugar levels in mice with diabetes.

2 | Lowers lipid levels: High blood levels of lipids (fat, cholesterol, and triglycerides) in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Ground egusi seeds lowers triglyceride and cholesterol levels in patients with high blood lipid levels.

3 | Prevents bacterial infections: Extracts from egusi plants, fruits, and seeds prevent bacterial infections. Egusi fruits contain active chemicals that kill common bacteria like Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella typhimurium.

Egusi fruit extracts are as effective as the antibiotic drug, novobiocin in treating patients with staphylococcal (bacterial) infections.

4 | Source of antioxidants: Antioxidants are an essential component of your diet because they neutralize harmful free-radicals that cause diseases like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease. They are typically present in fruits, and egusi is no exception.

Egusi fruit extracts are a rich source of antioxidants and studies have proven their ability to neutralise several free-radicals.

5 | Stimulates hair growth: Egusi extracts are used in Ayurvedic medicine for hair growth. These extracts are effective in increasing the number of hair follicles in animal studies.

Minoxidil is the standard treatment for hair loss in men and can be effective in women. In animal studies, egusi extracts were more effective than minoxidil in treating hair loss.

Types of Egusi seeds

Egusi is a common name for oil rich seeds of Egusi melon used mainly as soup condiment. The medium sized usually comes to mind anytime the name egusi is mentioned. But there exists a variety of crops in family Cucurbitaceae used for same purpose which is not commonly known even among the elites in Crop Science in Nigeria and beyond. In the course of a research on egusi, different types of seed forms were identified. There were six differently types of egusi kernels (bojuri, itoo, serewe, igbaa, bara and wewe) based on size, colour and type sold in Nigerian markets; however, bara and serewe are the most common types of egusi found in Nigeria.

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