While in Nairobi
recently I did not fail to notice the presence of a new strange fruit in the market.
New to me for I have not wandered about in the market for some years now. I was
told it is called Thorny melon. I bought and sampled one. It tasted good and I went
to Google .. The information I got is mind boggling.
The horned
melon was taken to Australia
and New Zealand
in the 1930s and was renamed the kiwano because of its slight internal
resemblance to the kiwi fruit,
to which it is no relation. As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family it is
related to the pumpkin, cucumbers, butternut
squash, bottle gourds, melons,
watermelons and marrows. It is possible that it was
renamed kiwano so that the name would make it more appealing to consumers.
The seeds and pulp of the thorny melon
are very nutritious as the seeds contain Vitamin A in the form of carotenoids
such as Beta-carotene, which promotes the health of the eyes, and skin as well
as having free-radical scavenging properties and boosting the immune system.
The seeds contain oleic and linoleic fatty acids too making them very good for
blood pressure and overall health.
The fruit is a good source of vitamin C, potassium and iron and also
contains vitamins B1, B2 and B3,
along with the minerals
magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, calcium and sodium. The organic vitamin E
found in the fruit is a good source of free-radical scavenging antioxidants, so
this fruit is good for protection against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
If you find one in your local
supermarket treat it as you would a passion
fruit. You can cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds and blend
them and the pulp to make a refreshing drink, adding lime or lemon juice
and honey to enhance the flavour
if you want to.
Try it out ..
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