Pregnancy is a very sensitive period where you have to be careful about a lot of things. Moreover, it is essential to get enough nutrients for the baby to develop in a healthy way. Many women in Nigeria eat a lot of soups during pregnancy because of the natural ingredients used to make them including Egusi soup. So what is Egusi soup and the benefits of egusi soup in pregnancy? Let’s find out in this article.
Contents
What is Egusi?
Egusi is an authentic West African classic that is widely loved in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, the Republic of Benin… Egusi is the name for the seeds of plants such as squash, melons, and gourds when dried. Dried and pureed becomes a staple in many West African cuisines. In particular, in Nigerian culture, egusi soup is popular with pounded yams, semo, Amala, fufu, wheat, starch, and tuwo.
In African countries, Egusi is known by many names such as wild watermelon, ibara, agushi, ikpoghiri, melon egusi, neri niri,… Melon seeds after being taken from the melon and dried in the sun or air. After drying, removing the yellow-white skin, the white flesh is ground into a powder or paste. If you’re more traditional, you can use a whetstone to grind the seeds into a paste.
Nutritional Value
Here is the nutritional content that you will get when eating egusi soup:
- Essential amino acids such as Arginine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Threonine, Phenylalanine, Valine, Histidine, and even Methionine.
- Minerals- Egusi contains the most minerals such as phosphorus, followed by Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, Vitamins B1, B2, B12, and vitamin E. It also contains a few other minerals such as Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and copper.
- Other amino acids include Cystine, Tyrosine, Glutamic Acid…
The benefits of Egusi soup in pregnancy
Pregnant women are always careful with what they eat because they want to keep their pregnancy and unborn baby safe during pregnancy. Egusi soup is completely safe and healthy during pregnancy and without any side effects. Some of the health benefits that can be discerned include:
- The vitamins B1 and B2 present in egusi help improve your appetite during pregnancy. Other vitamins, such as vitamin E and alpha-tocopherol, are abundant in egusi. Vitamin E works to improve overall skin health, helping to reduce dryness and other skin conditions during pregnancy. While alpha-tocopherol is present in many skin care products, helping to reduce wrinkles on the skin.
- Furthermore, some women experience constipation during pregnancy. Consuming egusi will help with this problem as it improves the proper digestion of the food you eat. Egusi soothes the digestive system and prevents heartburn during pregnancy. The fiber present in egusi also helps control the movements in your intestines during pregnancy.
- Also, the fatty acids in egusi mean they help lower your blood cholesterol levels. It is well recognized that high cholesterol leads to heart disease.
- Relieves nausea during pregnancy and has the effect of reducing leg edema in pregnant women.
Egusi soup is very good for health. It’s made up of about 50% healthy fat and 30% protein, making it the perfect food for a low-carb diet. Egusi also known as Eligi or Agushi, seeds can last for a year if cared for properly. Now you know the benefits of egusi soup in pregnancy, right?
Egusi Soup Recipe
This recipe will show you how to make Nigerian Egusi soup, a West African soup made with watermelon seeds. Materials include:
- 1 cup mixed onions
- 4 cups roasted
- 2 tablespoons fresh unu
- Ground crayfish
- 7-8 cups of stock
- Cooked meat and fish
- 1 cup of water
- 3 tablespoons bitter leaf
Follow these steps to cook:
- Step 1: Use a large saucepan and heat the palm oil over medium heat for one minute. Next, gradually add the water and bring it to a boil over low heat.
- Step 2: Add the flour mixture and boil for 20 to 30 minutes until the dough balls are cooked.
- Step 3: Then add the meat and fish and other types you want to use to make the dishes. Next, add the chopped parsley and add Waterleaf.
- Step 4: Stir well and cover the pot and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes until the leaves are wilted. Finally, add the bitter leaves and cover for 5-10 minutes after cooking. So it’s done.
Conclusion
The above article has explained what Egusi is, the nutritional composition of egusi soup, how to prepare it, and the benefits of egusi soup in pregnancy. Egusi soup is a very nutritious dish for everyone, especially pregnant women. There are also other healthy soups that are delicious and beneficial for your overall health during pregnancy. Vegetable soup is good for both you and your baby. Vegetables support the development of the fetus because they contain many vitamins.
While fish soup or goat pepper soup helps reduce nausea for women who suffer from this condition during pregnancy. In addition, okra soup is also on the list of soups for pregnant women. Okra contains a lot of fiber which is also very good for the growth of children. Hope this article has brought a lot of useful information to you.
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