Cucumeropsis mannii is a species of melon native to tropical Africa west of the East African Rift where it is grown for food and as a source of oil.


Usage

Egusi soup is a kind of soup thickened with the ground seeds and popular in West Africa, with considerable local variation. Besides the seeds, water, and oil, egusi soup typically contains leaf vegetables, other vegetables, seasonings, and meat. Typical leaf vegetables for egusi soup include bitter leaf, celosia and spinach. Typical other vegetables include tomatoes and okra. Typical seasonings include chili peppers, onions, and locust beans. Typical meats include beef, goat, fish, shrimp, or crayfish.

In Nigeria, egusi is very popular among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, the Ibibio people and the Efik people (Calabar people) of Southern Nigeria, the Hausa of northern Nigeria and the Yoruba people, Edo people, Esan people, and Etsako people of the southwest of Nigeria. Yoruba people in general and quite notably the people of Osun state– especially the Ijesha people – eat ‘Iyan and Egusi’, a pounded yam and egusi soup.


Nutritional information

The kernel of the egusi seed is 44% oil, 30% protein, 10% carbohydrate, 4% ash and 3% fiber.The oil of this seed is 64.9% linoleic acid, 12.4% oleic acid, 11.8% stearic acid and 10.9% palmitic acid. Vitamins Thiamin, Niacin, B1 and B2 are also prevalent in the seed, as well as many micronutrients. Notable minerals include phosphorus, as the largest mineral component, with potassium, magnesium, manganese, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc to follow. The bulk of carbohydrates are starch and soluble sugars. Egusi is the perfect complement to the largely starch-rich grain diet of Africa, providing a high-protein and high-energy concentrate. The seed contains every important macro and micro-nutrient in quantities ideal for nutrition. The amino acid content of egusi proteins makes it a sufficient vegetable protein. This composition is ideal for sick and growing bodies, providing essential amino acids and calories. Just 100 g of seed daily provides essential fatty acid, amino acid and Vitamin E requirements. There is potential for these seeds as a critical tool for interventions in diseases such as marasmus and kwashiorkor.


Health Benefits

78 % of the fat is unsaturated fatty acid, which is protective to the heart.
The alpha-tocopherol found in egusi is a component of vitamin E that helps in maintaining smooth young skin and good fertility.
It also contains palmitic, stearic, linoleic and oleic acids important in protecting the heart.
The egusi can also be an important supplementary baby food, helping prevent malnutrition.
Blending the seeds with water and honey produces a milky liquid that can be used as formula if breast milk is unavailable.


There is a need for more widespread knowledge on Cucumeropsis mannii in order to re-popularize the crop and spread its many benefits

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Salivating already!!!!