Honeydew is a type of melon fruit of the Muskmelon cultivar group (Cucumis melo) in the gourd family. It has seeds, and the inner flesh, pale green color, is eaten.
Can you eat honeydew seeds? Yes, you can eat honeydew seeds. These seeds have many nutritious benefits, including Vitamins A, B6, B12, D, E, K, Niacin B3, Riboflavin B2, Thiamine B1, Pantothenic acid B5, and choline. The seed is also rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron.
The amount of nutrients and vitamins gained from these seeds depends on how many you consume because they are small, and you need to eat quite a few to get the benefits.
Are Honeydew Seeds Poisonous?
Are honeydew seeds poisonous? No, honeydew seeds are not poisonous. You can eat them raw from the fruit, and they can’t grow in your acidic stomach either. However, they contain cyanide and sugar compound called amygdalin, which, when metabolized, breaks down into Hydrogen Cyanide, HCN. The toxin is usually inside the seeds and is not exposed to the body unless you chew the seeds.
Excess of something is dangerous. Honeydew seeds are rich in potassium, and eating too much can cause kidney problems if you have kidney diseases because your organs may not filter excess potassium leading to hyperkalemia.
What are the Benefits of Eating Honeydew Seeds?
Honeydew seeds contain magnesium, responsible for the heart’s normal functioning, normal blood pressure, protein synthesis, and support energy metabolism. It also helps in treating cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and regulates carbohydrate metabolism.
Arginine amino acid found in the seeds promotes nitric oxide production that helps treat acute arteriogenic erectile dysfunction, increases sperm production, and sustain attention. The Lycopene found in the seeds is a strong oxidant that enhances male fertility.
Honeydew seeds contain Vitamin B3 and niacin responsible for producing the ceramides and fatty acids that help protect the skin, maintain the skin’s natural glow and make it more elastic. They slow down the skin aging and makes it look younger and softer.
The magnesium found in it is important in preventing skin infections such as rashes. Zinc helps in cell growth and regeneration and also controls oil production in the skin.
Honeydew seeds are rich in niacin, essential for maintaining skin health, digestive system, and nervous system. They are rich in amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan. Tryptophan helps in curing insomnia by inducing relaxation and sleep.
Honeydew seeds also contain omega-six fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which act like a shield keeping the low-density lipoprotein level within limits keeping a healthy heart.
How Do You Get Honeydew Seeds?
Storing seeds helps to continue the genetic line of the plant. Honeydew is a Cucumis melo member and is open-pollinated by wind or insect. The seeds grow inside the fleshy fruit, and you wait until the fruit is fully ripened to collect the seeds. Here is a simple step to store the honeydew seeds.
After they are overripe, first, slice the honeydew open and scoop out the seeds.
Put the seeds with the pulp clinging to them in a jar full of warm water at room temperature. Let them remain there for about 3 to 4 days, stirring every day as they ferment. The viable seeds will sink, and the bad seeds will float.
So, how do you harvest the honeydew seeds? To collect the good honeydew seeds, pour out the water with the pulp and bad seeds. Then put viable seeds in the strainer to wash them clean to remove excess natural sugars, which facilitate the microbial activity, and may kill off your seeds in storage. Rub the seeds with an eco-friendly detergent to rinse them again.
Put them on absorbent towel paper to dry off for a day. Ensure they are dry because if they are not completely dry, they can rot in storage. Put the dry seeds in an airtight sealed jar in a place you can properly monitor them; you can use silica gel to keep them dry. Store them in a cool and dry place. Well-stored honeydew seeds can last up to 3 to 5 years.
How Do You Eat Honeydew Seeds?
Honeydew seeds offer various nutritional benefits. As such, you should not throw them away.
But what are some of the ways to eat them? You can eat them raw, blend or roast them to get the fruit’s nutrients. With a high-speed blender, blend the seeds in your fruit juice. You can also roast them and consume them.
The simplest way to blend the seeds is to cut your honeydew in half, scoop out the seeds and flesh, and put it in your blender. Add around 4 cups of water for a medium-sized honeydew. Blend using a high-speed blender until the seeds are well ground. You can add some fruits to it, like blueberries, for flavor. Serve and enjoy your healthy juice.
Roasting honeydew seeds for a snack is one of the best ways to eat the seeds. Chinese and the Middle East have known about their health benefits for quite a long time and figured out how to roast and snack on them. You need about three tablespoons of rinsed honeydew seeds, a ¼ teaspoon of olive oil, and salt to add taste to the roasted seeds.
How to Roast Honeydew Seeds
- Start by soaking the seeds in extremely salty water for one hour.
- Drain the seeds and pat dry.
- Then preheat the oven to 320 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the seeds with enough olive oil and salt to coat, place them as a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Roast your seeds for about 15 to 20 minutes until all the oil has evaporated and they are all dry.
- Completely cool them, serve and eat them.
Final Thoughts
- Honeydew seeds are edible and nutritious
- You can eat them raw, blend or roast them to get the fruit’s full nutrients.
- Honeydew seeds are rich in niacin, vital for maintaining skin health, digestive system, and nervous system.
- You can harvest honeydew seeds from the fruit and store them
- Honeydew seeds are not poisonous, even when taken raw.