Nutrition
Benefits of watermelon
Watermelon is a hydrated fruit and very nutritious to the body. In recent times, water melon is in season and its benefits include preventing dehydration, lowering blood pressure, possibly reducing muscle soreness, and potentially protecting against chronic conditions like heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Additionally, watermelon seeds contain magnesium, iron, zinc, and healthy fats.
-Keeps one hydrated
Watermelon is composed of more than 90 per cent of water. A source explains that we get 80per cent of hydration from what we drink and 20 per cent from what we eat; watermelon can definitely help with this balanced intake
-Healthy digestion
Watermelon contains a high water content and a small amount of fibre. Fibre adds bulk to your stool and keeps one regular, while water helps move waste through your digestive system.
– Weight management
Choosing watermelon over a meal or snack can make one full. Eating watermelon daily helps controls one diet and blood pressure.
– Reduces cancer risk
Lycopene found in watermelon may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Chronic inflammation can increase one’s risk for certain diseases, including cancer. Lycopene has the potential to reduce inflammation and keep cancer cells from growing, which reduces one’s risk for the diseases. Studies have shown that increasing lycopene intake can reduce risk for and prostate cancer.
– Watermelon reduces inflammation
A specific combination of antioxidants, lycopene and vitamin C, found in watermelon can lower inflammation and oxidative. Chronic inflammation can lead to serious conditions, including cancer, asthma, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
– Protects the skin
The water and vitamins A, B6, and C in watermelon improves skin elasticity and blood flow. Vitamin A helps repair skin cells, preventing dry, flaky skin, while vitamin B6 helps with skin breakouts.
Lycopene can play a role in protecting your skin from the sun.
Ingredients:
- 6 medium-sized potatoes
- 4 large carrots
- 3 large onions
- 4 tablespoons soft flour
- 3 fresh eggs
- 2 tablespoons salt
- Vegetable oil
Preparation:
- Wash the potatoes and all vegetables thoroughly.
- Shred the potatoes into smaller pieces and set aside.
- Add shredded carrots and mix well.
- Add flour, eggs, and salt to taste.
- Gently stir until the mixture is evenly combined.
- Heat a pan and sprinkle in some vegetable oil.
- Add the mixture in circular portions.
- Fry over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
- By Theresa Dzifa Tsetse
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Feature Article by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC)
In bustling markets across Ghana, traders call out over heaps of rice, yam, and maize. For many households, these staples represent security—a sign that no one will go to bed hungry.
Yet behind this apparent abundance lies a hidden crisis: hidden hunger, a silent form of malnutrition caused not by lack of food, but by lack of essential nutrients. Hidden hunger affects millions, especially women and children, weakening the body, dulling the mind, and limiting human potential.
The tragedy is that it thrives not because we lack solutions, but because our systems fail to prioritise nutrition. Despite several government initiatives, from the National Nutrition Policy (2016–2020) to food fortification programmes, progress remains slow. Implementation is inconsistent, coordination among ministries is weak, and public investment in nutrition is still below the global minimum target. Meanwhile, imported junk foods continue to flood the market unchecked, while local farmers struggle to market healthy indigenous crops like millet, sorghum, and moringa.
Nutrition is not just a health issue—it’s a development and governance issue. When ministries and local assemblies fail to integrate nutrition into agricultural planning, education, and poverty reduction strategies, the result is a cycle of poor diets and poor health outcomes.
At Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), we believe that nutrition should be treated with the same urgency as any national emergency. Through media advocacy and public engagement, WOMEC continues to push for transparency in nutrition governance and for stronger community voices in decision-making.
Ending hidden hunger requires more than awareness—it demands decisive action from policymakers. Nutrition must move from the margins of development planning to the centre of national policy. When governance supports good nutrition, the results go far beyond full stomachs: we build a healthier, smarter, and more productive nation.
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