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Today we are sharing the unique health benefits of watermelon seeds! Yes, that’s right! The seeds!
As watermelon season approaches, it is the perfect time to learn about the chemistry of watermelon seeds and why you need to eat them!
Growing up, I always hated all the black seeds in a watermelon. I would pick them out before I could even take a bite! If I accidentally swallowed one, I was so grossed out.
Little did I know, there are some really unique health benefits of watermelon seeds that make them totally worth eating.
Chemistry Secrets: Unique Health Benefits of Watermelon Seeds!
Chemistry of Watermelon Seeds
It is really interesting to see the breakdown of the nutrition of watermelon compared to watermelon seeds. Most of the health benefits of the watermelon are actually found in the seeds!
Protein
Watermelon seeds contain a large amount of protein. Per 100 g, there are 28.33 grams of protein in the seeds. The watermelon itself contains about 0.5 g per 100 g! Some of these amino acids (proteins) include arginine, tryptophan, lysine, and glutamate.
Healthy Fats
Seeds are most known for their healthy fat content. Watermelon seeds have a high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids including linoleic and oleic acid (both are amazing for you!).
Calcium
Per 100 g, watermelon seeds also contain about 54 mg of calcium! The watermelon meat only has about 8 mg per 100 g!
Potassium
Magnesium
Phosphorus
The last large element found in watermelon seeds is phosphorous. Per 100 g, the seeds have 755mg compared to 10 mg in the fruit!
Other elements
The seeds also contain zinc, iron, manganese, vitamin B6, folate, and niacin with traces of other elements, but these are the ones that are most prominent!
*Data is from the USDA.
With all these rich nutrients, you can imagine that watermelon seeds have so many health benefits!
Health Benefits of Watermelon Seeds
So, what happens if you eat a watermelon seed?? We mentioned all the science going on in a watermelon seed above. There are dozens of vitamins and minerals, fats, and proteins in the seeds. Raw watermelon seeds health benefits are pretty neat! Let’s check them out below.
Strengthen Immune System
With the vitamins and high levels of magnesium, watermelon seeds are so good for your immune system. In fact, magnesium is one of the most important micronutrients in our body which many people lack in their diets. It plays a huge role in our immunity!
Good for the Heart & Blood Pressure
All those healthy fats make these seed incredibly heart healthy! Unsaturated fatty acids are an important part of our diets that promote healthy heart functions and regulate blood pressure. On top of that, magnesium is also an important part of a healthy heart.
According to Dr. Mercola, Magnesium also regulates blood pressure. It can also dilate blood vessels and dissolve blood clots! Minerals like potassium and calcium also help with hypertension which watermelon seeds contain too.
Brain Health
With the high levels of magnesium, watermelon seeds are fantastic for your brain! Magnesium can enhance brain development by improving memory and learning abilities. Having the proper magnesium in your diet can also ward of Alzheimer’s disease.
Digestion
Guess what? Magnesium is also a key player in digestion! Magnesium not only neutralizes stomach acid, but it also helps relax the walls of the intestines! According to Dr. Axe, this can really help with constipation issues.
Zinc is also an important element for digestive health. Watermelon seeds all contain a dose of zinc which also helps with gut health!
Energy
I have found that all types of seeds are great for energy! With healthy fats, B vitamins, and all these great minerals, watermelon seeds are a great snack for energy!
The best part? People who have nut allergies can still enjoy watermelon seeds!
How to Eat Watermelon Seeds
Obviously, you can eat watermelon seeds just by swallowing them when you eat watermelon 🙂
There are other ways to enjoy them though! If you don’t like the texture of the seeds when you swallow them (I don’t like the way they feel!), then you can try one of these ideas below.
Roast Them
You can save watermelon seeds and roast them like you do pumpkin seeds! Here is a simple recipe to follow!
Roasted watermelon seeds are delicious as a snack or you can add them into salads for a nice crunch.
Watermelon Seed Tea
Watermelon seed tea is a great way to cleanse your body and also get all those amazing benefits from the seeds!
Here is a simple way to make it:
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp fresh watermelon seeds
- 8 cups of water
Directions:
- Crush or grind the watermelon seeds. A food processor or spice grinder works great.
- Add water and the seeds to a pot. Cook on high for about 10 minutes.
- Strain the seeds and drink!
You can add this tea to other drinks or even use it in this collagen tea drink too.
Buy the Tea
You can also buy watermelon seed tea. This loose leaf one is a great option!
Add to Smoothies
You can grind up some watermelon seeds until it is a powder (I like to use a spice grinder), then add them to smoothies. It is great for added protein, fat, energy, and all those great minerals. I like to add about 1 tbsp per smoothie.
Take as a Supplement
You can buy it as a supplement for multiple uses. This awesome paleo and vegan protein blend is full of watermelon seeds!
There is also watermelon seed capsules you can take.
How Do I Use Them??
Out of all the methods above, I usually add them to smoothies! If you have a really good blender, you can just throw some seeds in. I have ground the seeds before like I talk about above, and it is so simple to add into a smoothie. You won’t taste them or feel the texture or at all. It is a great way to get the benefits.
I always save the seeds for smoothies. You can also keep the seeds in the freezer for when you want to use them like this.
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This is fascibat informatioln. As i read it i recalled that growing up My parents would buy bags of Roasted seeds in Chinatown. They were quite big compared to the size in fresh watermelon. I loved cracking open the shells and eating the seed meat. Now i can get the benefits from the fresh fruit! And who knew magnesium was such a powerhouse mineral! Thanks Alexis.
That’s so neat they used to buy them like that! It’s nice to know we can eat watermelon AND the seeds for all those great benefits:) thanks Laurie!
Great article! I loooove watermelon. Anyone interested in this stuff should definitely check out the book Everyday Roots. It teaches you how to replace all the toxic chemicals in your life with healthy organic alternatives. Its completely changed my life and how I feel everyday! 🙂
Heres a great review of everday roots: http://reggiesreview.weebly.com/everyday-roots-review.html
Keep up the great content!
Thanks! Watermelon seeds are pretty awesome!
How cool is this…. God uses everything to benefit His very best creation…US
Agreed! It is amazing how beneficial it is for us!
How cool is this?? I had no idea watermelon seeds had so many health benefits. you share such neat things, thank you!
Thank you! They are such an awesome thing to add to your diet!
SO excited for watermelon season, but i had no idea about all these wonderful benefits for the seeds. I may need to stop spitting them out! Ha! <3
Green Fashionista
Yes! They are so good, I never spit them out now lol
Thanks for writing this blog. A good read. I take True Elements Raw Watermelon Seeds and they really contribute to a good digestion.
That’s great to hear!