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What Is The Nutritional Value Of Watermelon?

  • By Swati Gaikwad - Content Writer
  • •  Apr 09, 2023

Refreshing, rejuvenating…well there is no summer without watermelon juice!  

This wonderful, tropical fruit is originally from South Africa belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. The watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a large, sweet fruit related to cantaloupe, zucchini, pumpkin, and cucumber. It has a juicy, sweet flesh with a delightful crunch to it; suitably sweet the fruit is 6% sugar and more than 90% water. Enjoy a plate full of this healthy melon to restore your energy which makes your palate happy too. The fruit can be eaten raw or pickled. Its rind is packed with nutrients and it is edible after cooking. It can be used as a vegetable. In the southern part of the U.S., the rind of the watermelon is pickled.   

Wine is made out of watermelon too. It is also used in fruit salads and squashes to add to its yummy flavour. It is enjoyed as a summer juice or can also be found as an ingredient in some mixed beverages.  

Watermelon is one of the iconic fruits of summer, which is low in calories, sweet, and watery in taste. Watermelon is a fruit that is abundantly available in India. You can consume it in many different ways. You could eat it as a mid-meal snack, you could add it to your salad, or could even consume it in the form of juice or add it to your daily smoothie. Watermelons come loaded with many useful macro and micronutrients.

Interested in finding out more about the nutritional value of this fruit? Here is a closer look at what watermelons consist of, so you could include them in your regular diet.

Despite their size, watermelons are mostly water. It should come as no surprise, since the fruit’s name itself is ‘water' melon, after all. Watermelon is packed with water and nutrients, contains very few calories, and is exceptionally refreshing. Watermelons help with overall hydration, and that is a great thing. They say we can get 20-30 percent of our fluid needs through our diet alone, and foods like these certainly help. Additionally, their juice is full of good electrolytes. This can even help prevent heat stroke.  

A cup of ice cream will set you back around 300 calories. You can enjoy the same amount of watermelon for just 45.6 calories. And unlike many other desserts, it’s fat-free, cholesterol free, and has no sodium. Plus, the water in it will help you stay fuller longer.  Enjoy a slice guilt-free!

Every juicy crunch has healthy amounts of vitamins B6, A, and C. A melon also contains lycopene, antioxidants, and amino acids with some amount of potassium. The potassium and magnesium content makes melon rich in carotenoids. Lycopene reduces oxidative damage, reduces cholesterol and thickness of artery walls, and lowers blood pressure. It has great benefits for brain health, delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and age-related macular degeneration.  

Another important amino acid, citrulline, reduces muscle soreness. Further, watermelon juice increases the absorption of citrulline and so improves exercise performance. Watermelon is a versatile fruit good for health and well-being.   

The nutrients in 2/3 cup (100 grams) of raw watermelon are:

Calories: 30

Water: 91%

Protein: 0.6 grams

Carbs: 7.6 grams

Sugar: 6.2 grams

Fibre: 0.4 grams

Fat: 0.2 grams



Carbs:

The carbs present in watermelons are mostly simple carbs such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose. They are easily broken down in the body. Watermelons have a high glycemic index (GI) of 72 to 80, which indicates that they are quickly digested and absorbed by the digestive system. If you’re worried about the high GI causing a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, though, you can relax because watermelons have very low carb content.



Fibres:

Although these fruits do contain some amount of fibre, it is still quite low. So, watermelons may not be the best source of fibre out there, if that’s what you’re looking for. 

Fats:

You will get almost no fat in watermelon, making it similar to other melons such as cantaloupe or honeydew. The fat that is present is mainly polyunsaturated (0.076 grams), with smaller amounts of monounsaturated (0.056 grams) and saturated (0.024 grams) fatty acids.

For dietary tracking purposes, you can consider watermelon a non-fat food. The seeds (yes, they are edible) are a source of omega-3 fatty acids.



Vitamins:

What the watermelon lacks in fibre content, it makes up for in the vitamins it contains. Watermelons have vitamin C, which improves the body’s immunity and the skin. There is also vitamin B5, which improves the nervous system and metabolism. Watermelon contains beta-carotene, which your body can turn into vitamin A. A cup of watermelon contains nearly one-quarter of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A.



Minerals:

Watermelons also contain minerals like copper and potassium. Copper helps keep your bones healthy, and in combination with iron, it helps in the formation of red blood cells. Potassium regulates muscle contractions, reduces blood pressure, and even helps prevent kidney stones and osteoporosis. It is because of these minerals that watermelon has many benefits for men and women alike.



Plant Compounds:

Watermelon is rich in the amino acid citrulline and the antioxidant lycopene, which have numerous benefits for health.

1. Citrulline

Watermelon is the richest known dietary source of the amino acid citrulline. The highest amount is found in the white rind that surrounds the flesh.

In your body, citrulline is transformed into the essential amino acid arginine. Both citrulline and arginine play an important role in the synthesis of nitric oxide, which helps lower blood pressure by dilating and relaxing your blood vessels.

Arginine is also important for many organs — such as your lungs, kidneys, liver, and immune and reproductive systems — and has been shown to facilitate wound healing.

Though watermelon is one of the best dietary sources of citrulline, you would have to consume about 15 cups (2.3 kg) at once to meet the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for arginine.

2. Lycopene

Watermelon is the best-known fresh source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant responsible for its red colour. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a cup and a half of watermelon contain about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene — 40% more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

Your body uses lycopene to some extent to form beta-carotene, which is then converted into vitamin A.



Takeaway:

Watermelons are not just easily available but are also very cost-effective. And on top of that, they come with so many health benefits too. Since they’re quite low in calories, you can add them to a fruit salad or consume them on their own as a snack.

To reap the benefits of watermelon, you must choose one that’s juicy, ready-to-eat, and free from nicks, and bruises. You’re in luck— with edobo this seems pretty simple! Buy fresh, ripe watermelon at the best price.


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