What Are Watermelon Seeds and How To Consume Them?

Blogs08 Aug 2024

We love gorging on a sweet and refreshing slice of watermelon or having a glass of watermelon juice to cool down our system. In both of these scenarios, likely, the seeds of watermelons are easily discarded without a second thought. But what if we tell you that the watermelon seeds that you always ignore are filled with nutrition, and must be an addition to your regular diet?

In this article, we’ll explore the nutritional value and benefits of watermelon seeds. Additionally, we’ll also talk about how you can consume them often. So let’s get started!

What are Watermelon Seeds?

Watermelon seeds (Citrullus Lanatus) are seeds present in watermelons. They come in three types, Charleston grey, Crimson sweet, and Black diamond. While these seeds were treated as bio-waste till now, they are increasingly being used for making snacks, flour, and edible oil. These seeds are good sources of Vitamin B and minerals like Potassium, Iron, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc.

Furthermore, watermelon seeds have excellent protein and fibre content as well! These seeds contain 16-17% protein, around 39-43% dietary fibre and both mono-saturated and poly saturated fats, making them highly nutritious and a great choice of seeds to add to your diet.

Health Benefits of Watermelon Seeds

Some important health benefits watermelon seeds can provide due to their nutritional content including protein, fibre, important fatty acids, and minerals like zinc, iron, and magnesium are:

1. Improves skin health: When sprouted, watermelon seeds are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. These nutrients are known to have a positive effect on skin health. Other minerals in these seeds can speed up cell repair and fight early signs of ageing.
2. Strengthens hair: All the proteins present in watermelon seeds, along with minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc etc can help in strengthening hair, encouraging new hair development and improving hair quality.
3. Supports heart health: Watermelon seeds contain healthy fats that support heart health. Its magnesium content may help regulate blood pressure as well.
4. May lower blood sugar: The magnesium present in these seeds may help regulate blood sugar levels and could be helpful for those with diabetes.
5. Boosts immunity: You can even strengthen your immune function by having some watermelon seeds. The vitamin B complex present in these seeds may help strengthen your immunity.

Additionally, some other noteworthy benefits of watermelon seeds are that they may help support the nervous system, boost energy levels, and improve metabolism.

How to Consume Watermelon Seeds

You might be confused about how to consume something that you once used to throw away. Don’t worry! We have a few ideas for you to make the most out of the nutritional benefits of watermelon seeds. You can try these methods:

• Roast: You can roast some watermelon seeds and sprinkle salt on them to enjoy a crunchy and nutritious snack between meals.
• Add to other dishes: Making a warm bowl of oatmeal? Use watermelon seeds as a crunchy topping. Making a healthy salad at home? Sprinkle some watermelon seeds for added nutrition. You can even add these seeds to smoothies, trail mixes, or protein shakes to increase their nutritional value!
• Sprouting: Soak watermelon seeds in water for a few hours to make them sprout. Have them with spices or vegetables for a healthy snack option.

Conclusion

Watermelon is a popular fruit that is loved by all and consumed heavily, however, its seeds, which often go unnoticed, have a wonderful nutritional profile and make a great addition to any healthy diet. Watermelon seeds contain Vitamin B complex, fibre, protein, and minerals like iron, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium among others and all of these correlate to the numerous benefits of eating seeds of watermelon. Some important benefits that you should know about are: watermelon seeds improve skin health, strengthen hair, support heart health, and immune function, and regulate blood sugar levels.

For more such information on nutrition, health and ageing, follow Right Shift. We’ve taken on the role of motivating you as you take on this journey towards healthy ageing. Our articles can help in creating a basic knowledge base on important topics related to ageing. Additionally, you can also try our free health score calculator to understand your current health, and subsequently make the required changes in your diet by choosing one of our free diet plans. So get started now, and make the right shift today!