The first thing we do before eating a sweet and aromatic melon is to select and discard the seeds, without thinking about the fact that they can also be consumed. And not only possible, but even necessary. After all, melon seeds are just a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients for the human body. What exactly are they useful for, read on.

Botanical Description

Melon seed characteristics may vary slightly depending on the variety of crop. On average, seeds are painted in white, cream or yellowish tones, their length varies between 6–13 mm, their thickness is 1–2 mm, and their width is 2–6 mm. The shape of the seeds is elongated-oval, the tip is pointed. There is no endosperm in a mature seed: the seed coat that fits the embryo with large cotyledons.

Did you know? The Japanese learned to grow square melons (like square watermelons), but they cost much more than ordinary ones. And they were brought out to facilitate transportation and storage.

Melon Seed Composition

Melon seeds, due to its rich composition, part of which are sugar-containing substances, vitamins, macro- and microelements, belong to the list of valuable food and high-calorie foods.

Seed composition is rich in:

• vitamins: A, B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, PP, C, K;
• fiber;
• iron;
• magnesium
• potassium;
• zinc
• calcium
• phosphorus;
• sodium;
• selenium;
• manganese;
• pectin.

Important! Given such nutritional value, people who are afraid of extra centimeters at the waist should think about whether such a product can be eaten, because excessive consumption can even lead to obesity. The daily norm of seeds should be no more than 100 g.

Healing properties

For the first time, the beneficial properties of melon seeds were investigated in the works of a medieval Persian physician and scientist Ibn Sina (Avicenna). In his treatises, he assigns an important place to the study of the benefits not only of the melon itself, but of its seeds. It is on his thoughts that modern research by scientists based on the study of the benefits of the product and on what melon seeds help from is based.

• Their healing power is as follows:
• activation of metabolism;
• diuretic and laxative effects, which is important in the fight against diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract;
• elimination of inflammation;
• normalization of cholesterol level;
• memory improvement;
• cleansing the body (in particular, the kidneys, liver, stomach and pancreas) from toxins;
• increased potency;
• increased action of drugs;
• expectorant effect;
• anti-aging effect;
• elimination of depressive states and insomnia;
• decrease in liver fat;
• improving cardiovascular function;
• increase immunity.

Important! Melon Bones — an excellent means of combating constipation.

About the benefits

Melon seeds have specific healing properties for the male and female body.

For women

The product is a true healing elixir for women.

• It is advisable to use in the following cases:
• In the treatment of female diseases: the use of seeds favorably affects both the elimination of the symptoms of diseases and the recovery of the body after surgical procedures on female organs.
• To reduce pain during menstruation, as well as relieve nervous disorders and tension on critical days and with menopause.
• To improve and strengthen hair, nails.
• For skin rejuvenation. The preparation of masks and various preparations with this product will quickly solve the problem of how to cleanse and whiten the skin without resorting to the help of cosmetologists.
• During pregnancy, melon seeds in the diet are simply irreplaceable. They contain folic acid, vitamins of group B, which favorably affect the growth and development of the fetus, as well as the well-being of the woman herself.

Did you know? Melons can be eaten not only fresh, but also dried. Such a sweet delicacy is especially popular in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, where it is served with tea, like sweets.

For men

Do not even think about whether melon seeds are useful for the stronger sex. Every man who has faced male problems at least once in his life knows how important zinc is for his body, which is part of melon seeds (0.1 mg / 100 g of product). It is zinc that determines the quality of male sperm, as well as the usefulness of the process of its formation.

The use of melon seeds not only contributes to an increase in the number of sperm, but also makes sex life much brighter, and most importantly: increases the chances of healthy offspring. The same zinc, combined with folic acid, is one of the main drugs for prostatitis.

In addition, melon seeds have long been considered a male aphrodisiac, stimulating the activity of the male genital organ, ensuring potency stability and eliminating erection problems. Regular use of the product will also increase the performance of men.

Important! Starting treatment with folk remedies for both a man and a woman, it is worth initially consulting with your doctor.

Contraindications and harm

Despite the impressive list of healing properties, do not forget that the constant companions of benefits are harm, risk and contraindications.

• The following categories of people should be used with caution or even excluded from their diet melon seeds:
• Obese people (such a high-calorie product).
• Suffering from problems with the spleen.
• Pregnant women who suffer from toxicosis. The product retains acetone in the body, which increases toxicosis attacks. Excessive consumption of melon seeds can cause constipation and heaviness in the stomach of a pregnant woman.
• Suffering from increased secretion of gastric juice. This product is strictly contraindicated for patients with ulcers and those who have encountered diseases of the duodenum.

How to dry and store seeds

You need to choose seeds only from ripe melons. They are dried exclusively in a natural way, preferably in the open air. Previously, the seeds must be removed from the melon, thoroughly cleaned of the pulp, spread on a flat surface (you can use thick cardboard or a kitchen board) in one layer, cover with gauze (this is necessary so that the seeds do not damage the insects) and put on the balcony, under canopy.

About 2-3 times a day, the seeds must be stirred so that they do not stick together (this can lead to rotting and spoilage of the product). In about a week, the products will dry out. It is necessary to store such a healing treat in special paper bags.

You can also put them in bags made of natural fabric. The main conditions to the storage location: dryness and darkness. With proper drying and storage, the bones are suitable for use for 3 years.

Important! It is best to eat seeds for medicinal purposes in their raw form, since during heat treatment their beneficial properties are significantly reduced.

Application

Many consumers throw seeds out of melons because they see only food waste in them. Read about what can be made from these so-called wastes, and how to use them.

In cooking

An excellent ingredient for many dishes and drinks of modern cuisine is not only the melon itself, but also its seeds, with which you can cook:

1. Tasty and healthy melon milk. To prepare it, it is worth mixing the seeds selected from one melon in a blender with a glass of cold water (you can take two). The mixture needs to be filtered, add 1 tsp. honey and grind again in a blender. If desired, you can add the melon itself.
2. Fruit salad. To prepare it, you will need 150 g of melon, 1 kiwi and nectarine, 50 g of grapes, 1 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. melon seeds and a mint branch. Fruit must be peeled and cut into slices convenient for you, then pour honey, add seeds and mix well.

If desired, melon seeds can be added to smoothies, compotes, sprinkled with grilled fruits, and they can help you diversify vegetable salads. The product will be an excellent useful addition to pancakes, pancakes, cereals, cereals, yoghurts.

Important! It is not recommended to add melon seeds to salty and fried dishes.

In folk medicine

Melon seeds are very popular among healers. Based on them, you can prepare many traditional medicines, effective in the fight against various diseases:

1. Diuretic and anthelmintic propertiesmade from 2 tbsp. seeds that are poured with 500 ml of boiling water. The product must be wrapped and left for 5-6 hours. Then strain and drink throughout the day.
2. Reduce pain during menstruation can be a decoction of melon seeds (200 g), leaves of scumpia and mistletoe (120 g each) and 1 liter of water. All components must be crushed and filled with water. Boil the mixture for 20 minutes. Strain the broth only after it has completely cooled. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day.
3. Those who suffer from liver disease, folk healers recommend resorting to the help of infusion of seeds, bear ears and bearberry leaves, which are taken in equal proportions. The total number of ingredients should be 7 tbsp. The mixture needs to be poured with boiling water (0.5 L) and left for 8 hours to insist. Then the medicine must be filtered. You need to take the drug 50 ml 4 times a day.
4. An ordinary powder will help increase potencyobtained by grinding the melon seeds. Take this medicine for 1 hour 3 times a day. Reception should be carried out 25 minutes before a meal and drink the powder with plenty of water.
5. Women who want to rejuvenate and refresh the face, to strengthen hair and nails, folk medicine men recommend milk from melon seeds. To prepare it, you need 1 tbsp. sunflower seeds and 200 ml of boiled water. The product must be boiled for 3 minutes. Then it needs to be cooled, filtered and started to use: wipe the skin, rinse hair, make baths for nails.

Did you know? Do not be surprised if in Japan they will give you a melon in honor of a holiday or birthday. In this country, it is considered an expensive gift.

Rules and methods of use

Since eating seeds as a whole is gastronomically unattractive, and sometimes even harmful, there are several ways to prepare melon seeds to give them better taste and beneficial properties.

Many people wonder how to use such a healing product. For maximum benefits for the body, melon seeds should be consumed in the form of flour, butter, cocktail or milk, following the following tips.

Flour

To prepare the flour, grind the dried seeds into powder. You can carry out this procedure manually, but it is better to do this with a blender or coffee grinder.

You can use such a powder both in dry form and diluting:

1. In dry form. Depending on the recommendations of a particular recipe, dry flour should be taken one teaspoon or a tablespoon with a glass of water.
2. Diluting with water. Shake the flour well in boiled water in a proportion of 1 tbsp. flour for 1 cup of water.
3. Adding to dishes. Flour from melon seeds can be added to dishes both during cooking (for example, cocktails, salads), and sprinkled on a finished dish (pancakes, pancakes).

Milk

For the preparation of milk, it is best to use fresh melon seeds, as they have more healthy and nutritious substances than dried ones. To prepare 1 liter of drink, you need to take 1 cup of seeds (approximately equal to the number of seeds of one medium melon), dilute in 3-4 cups of hot water and mix well at high speeds of the blender.

The resulting mixture must be filtered through gauze. The amount of water can be adjusted at will, but it should be borne in mind that the thinner the milk, the easier it is to filter it later. To improve the taste, you can add cinnamon, honey, sugar or vanilla.

When you have only dried melon seeds available, the cooking algorithm is the same, except for the proportions. For half a glass of dried seeds you need to take 4 glasses of water. You can treat your loved ones and guests with a prepared drink at any time of the year.

Important! For people with a weak digestive system or a tendency to its disorders, adding honey to melon seeds is highly undesirable, due to a possible digestive upset.

Cocktail

If you don’t like milk from melon seeds, you can make a milkshake.

We offer you 2 ways to prepare it:

1. In a glass of cow's milk you need to add 1 tbsp. melon seeds and beat well in a blender. Add honey, cinnamon, vanilla to taste.
2. Add to 0.5 liters of milk 2 tbsp. melon seeds and boil for 3-4 minutes. Cool and add honey, cinnamon or vanilla to taste. Such a cocktail is not only tasty, but also has some medicinal properties, for example, it is useful for urolithiasis.

Butter

Melon seed oil has good healing and cosmetic properties. It is used to prevent cardiovascular diseases, promote the splitting and removal of stones from the kidneys and bladder, as a sedative, to remove sputum and soften the “smoker effect”, to moisturize the skin of the face, remove age spots, restore skin, etc.

Did you know? The largest melon producer in the world — China. In this country, 25% of the total world number of melons is grown, which is approximately 8 million tons annually.

To prepare such a medicine is quite simple: it is enough to take equal proportions of refined vegetable oil and seeds (the latter are best grated in a blender or chopped in a meat grinder). Refined seeds filled with refined oil should be mixed well and the mixture should be infused in a warm and dark place for 2-3 weeks. After the specified time, the oil can be used for its intended purpose.

As you can see, what is considered food waste is not always necessary to be disposed of. A prime example is melon seeds. Now, cutting a juicy and aromatic melon and knowing about the beneficial properties of its seeds, you will not want to throw them away.