Consuming Watermelons for Nutritional Benefits
Watermelon, a summertime favourite, is not just a refreshing treat but a powerhouse of nutrients. Beyond its juicy, red flesh, the rinds and seeds offer their own unique benefits.
The Nutritious Watermelon Seeds
Often discarded, watermelon seeds are a treasure trove of health benefits. They are rich in magnesium, potassium, healthy fats, arginine, and Vitamin E, among other nutrients. Magnesium and potassium support heart health by maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol balance, while arginine aids in proper heart function. Vitamin E, zinc, and fatty acids found in watermelon seeds help moisturise skin, improve elasticity, and support collagen production, leading to radiant skin. Moreover, these seeds promote hair strength due to their protein and nutrient content.
The Underrated Watermelon Rinds
Watermelon rinds, often overlooked, provide notable benefits as well. They have less sugar and more fiber than the red flesh and contain citrulline. Citrulline converts into arginine, an amino acid that improves blood flow and circulation, aiding cardiovascular health and overall circulation. The rind can be consumed by adding it to salads or smoothies to capitalise on these benefits.
Nutritional Profile of Watermelon
One cup of diced watermelon contains 46 calories, 9 grams of sugar, 10 milligrams of calcium, 12 milligrams of vitamin C, 15 milligrams of magnesium, 139 grams of water, and 1 milligram of sodium. It is low in calories and lacks fat, sodium, and cholesterol, making it an ideal choice for those watching their calorie intake.
Watermelon is rich in vitamin A, which supports the health of your corneas, and vitamin C, which supports your immune system and may help reduce the risk of developing cancer. It contains disease-fighting antioxidants like lycopene and cucurbitacin E, with watermelon having more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable. This antioxidant may help prevent or delay the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Health Benefits of Watermelon
A 2019 study showed that eating watermelon daily for four weeks was associated with lower hunger, less desire to eat, lower body weight, lower BMI, reduced waist-to-hip ratio, and reduced blood pressure. Early evidence suggests that regularly eating watermelon may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Cautions and Considerations
While watermelon offers numerous health benefits, it should be noted that it is high in FODMAPs, which may cause digestive issues for some individuals, particularly those with IBS. It is also not recommended for those prone to migraine headaches, those with allergies to certain pollens, people with diabetes, and those with digestive issues such as IBS.
In conclusion, watermelon, its seeds, and rinds offer a myriad of health benefits. From heart health to skin and hair care, and even aiding in weight management and disease prevention, incorporating watermelon into your diet could be a refreshingly beneficial decision.
- In addition to their unique benefits, watermelon seeds are rich in magnesium, potassium, healthy fats, arginine, and Vitamin E.
- Magnesium and potassium found in watermelon seeds support heart health by maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol balance.
- Arginine in watermelon seeds aids in proper heart function.
- Vitamin E, zinc, and fatty acids in watermelon seeds help moisturise skin, improve elasticity, and support collagen production.
- Watermelon seeds promote hair strength due to their protein and nutrient content.
- Watermelon rinds are often overlooked but provide notable benefits with less sugar and more fiber than the red flesh.
- Watermelon rinds contain citrulline, which converts into arginine, an amino acid that improves blood flow and circulation.
- The watermelon rind can be consumed by adding it to salads or smoothies.
- One cup of diced watermelon contains 46 calories, 9 grams of sugar, 10 milligrams of calcium, 12 milligrams of vitamin C, 15 milligrams of magnesium, 139 grams of water, and 1 milligram of sodium.
- Watermelon is low in calories and lacks fat, sodium, and cholesterol.
- Watermelon is rich in vitamin A, which supports the health of your corneas.
- Vitamin C in watermelon supports the immune system and may help reduce the risk of developing cancer.
- Watermelon contains disease-fighting antioxidants like lycopene and cucurbitacin E.
- Watermelon has more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.
- This antioxidant may help prevent or delay the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
- A 2019 study showed that eating watermelon daily for four weeks was associated with lower hunger, less desire to eat, lower body weight, lower BMI, reduced waist-to-hip ratio, and reduced blood pressure.
- Early evidence suggests that regularly eating watermelon may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
- While watermelon offers numerous health benefits, it is high in FODMAPs and may cause digestive issues for some individuals, particularly those with IBS.
- Watermelon is not recommended for those prone to migraine headaches, those with allergies to certain pollens, people with diabetes, and those with digestive issues such as IBS.
- Incorporating watermelon seeds and rinds into your lifestyle can offer a wide range of health benefits, from heart health to skin and hair care, and disease prevention.
- Food and nutrition science reveals numerous benefits of watermelon seeds and rinds that often go unnoticed.
- Workplace wellness initiatives can incorporate watermelon-based snacks to promote employee health and productivity.
- People with chronic-kidney-disease may find watermelon beneficial due to its high water content and low salt levels.
- Respiratory-conditions patients may also benefit from watermelon, as its antioxidants may help reduce inflammation in the lungs.
- Eye-health can be supported by consuming watermelon due to its antioxidants, helping reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
- In terms of hearing, watermelon does not have specific benefits, but overall dietary choices affect ear health.
- Health-and-wellness enthusiasts may find that incorporating watermelon into their healthy-diets improves their fitness-and-exercise routines and skin-care regimens.
- People with autoimmune-disorders should consult their doctors before introducing new foods such as watermelon into their diets.
- For those interested in environmental-science, watermelon agriculture impacts climate-change due to the energy usage in cultivating and transporting the fruit.
