WHY KIWANO IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BODY

Kiwano is commonly known as a horned melon. Kiwano melon is a sweet, peculiar-looking fruit found in the central and southern parts of Africa. Kiwano is consumed locally when raw.

Formally kiwano is known as Cucumis metuliferus but is known popularly in Africa as horned melon or African horned cucumber. This fruit is tasty and has numerous health benefits to the body. The fruit is eaten when ripe. The fruit is green when unripe and has a sour taste. When ripe, the outer skin of the fruit has a bright orange color. The outer skin is thick and is covered with tiny spiny projections. The inner flesh contains gelatinous, a yellow substance that has many edible seeds. The seeds have numerous benefits too to the body. Kiwano is a fruit but rare to find. Adding kiwano into your diet is a great way of boosting your health. It has several benefits to the body.

Benefits of Kiwano Melon

Kiwano is good for your health. This horned melon contains many essential nutrients that are needed by the body. It’s rare to find; hence can come at a higher cost.

It Has Various Essential Nutrients

Kiwano melon contains a variety of essential nutrients. Consuming kiwano melon is a natural way of adding many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The nutrients have numerous roles in improving your health. A single kiwano fruit contains 209 grams of the following nutrients. They include; 16 grams of carbs, 2.7 grams of protein, 2.6 grams of fats, 92 grams of calories, 6 % of the RDI vitamin A, 18% of the RDI of vitamin C.

This horned melon contains water, low calories, carbs, and fat quotients. It has more proteins than other fruits. The high protein levels produce about 16% of the calories. Kiwano melon is a unique fruit that comes with unique nutrients. This makes it ideal for adding to many diet plans. Regular consumption of this fruit has multiple positive effects on the body. Horned kiwano melon has many vitamins and minerals that are needed by the body for optimal health. It’s low in calories yet with high protein levels, unlike other fruits.

Enhances Production of Healthy Red Blood Cells

Red blood cells are important in the body. They transport oxygen in the blood to all body parts from the head to the legs. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin which is responsible for transporting oxygen in the body. Hemoglobin is produced by iron in the body. Kiwano melon is a good source of iron nutrients. Kiwano is a fruit yet a good source of iron and produces over 13 % of your daily iron intake. Red blood cells store hemoglobin that contains iron nutrients. Hemoglobin is necessary to the body as it provides the body with the needed path for proper oxygen supply. A diet consisting of iron nutrients is important for the body to produce enough healthy blood red cells.

Kiwano melon is a natural source of iron. This plant iron contains a non-heme iron paired with vitamin C for easy absorption into the body. Regular consumption of kiwano melon increases your iron levels in the body. This allows the body to produce healthier red blood cells for proper oxygenation.

Has Antioxidants Properties

Kiwano melon is a highly nutritious fruit that contains many vitamins and minerals. The fruit provides several potent antioxidant nutrients to the body. The antioxidants are nutrients by themselves. Antioxidants are found in certain foods and are essential for optimal health. They protect the body against cellular damage which can be caused by oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative reactions are normal body metabolism reactions. However, oxidative strain can lead to inflammation and impaired cellular function with time. Consuming foods rich in antioxidants such as kiwano melon is a great way of reducing this damage.

Kiwano contains antioxidants like Vitamin C, zinc, Vitamin A, and lutein. These nutrients are essential in the body as they help in the reduction of inflammation in the body. They also help reduce the chances of getting certain chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases. The edible seeds in the fruit’s pulp have Vitamin E nutrients that add to the antioxidant properties.

Enhances Blood Sugar Control

Blood sugar control is important for a healthy body. High levels of blood sugar expose you to more risks of getting chronic diseases. kiwano lemon contains a low glycemic index, which means that consuming this fruit does not spike your blood sugar levels. Horned melon also contains magnesium minerals. It’s a good source of magnesium. Magnesium is important in the body. It is involved in glucose and insulin metabolism. kiwano melon reduces blood sugar levels, making it ideal for treating high blood sugar conditions.

Supports Proper Hydration

Water provides the needed hydration to the body. However, some water types have no minerals or nutrients that are needed by the body. This makes it necessary for one to consume other foods to provide the body with the basic electrolytes. Kiwano melon provides all the important electrolytes that cannot be found in water. Kiwano melon provides the body with electrolytes like magnesium, sodium, and potassium. These minerals help maintain a healthy fluid quotient in the body. These fruits are made up of 88% water and have low carbs and electrolytes. This makes it ideal for enhancing hydration to the body.

Other Kiwano Melon Benefits

Horned melon has many nutrients that can help support bone health. It contains magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C minerals that are used in bone remodeling and maintenance.

Consuming kiwano melons comes with benefits to the skin too. It has vitamin c and water that support collagen production. This helps maintain healthy skin and can be used in wound healing or protection from extreme sun damage.

Regular consumption of kiwano melon strengthens the body’s immunity. The melon has multiple nutrients that are important for a good health system.

How to Eat Kiwano Melon

Kiwano melon is eaten when ripe. It has an orange color when ripe and a thick outer skin covered with small spikes. The rind is edible, though many people like consuming the inner flesh as it is sweeter. The seeds are edible and hard to remove from the pulp. The easiest way of eating a kiwano lemon is by slicing it open and directly eating the pulp with a spoon. Add a little sugar or salt to enhance the taste.

The Bottom Line

The horned melon is an exotic fruit that is mostly found in Africa. It has many health benefits to your body. Including kiwano melon is a great way to mix your fruit game and improve your nutrient, mineral, and vitamins intake.