Watermelon is known as one of the refreshing fruits and can quench thirst. In addition to its sweet taste, it turns out that watermelon has benefits and nutritional content that is good for health.
What are the nutrients and benefits found in watermelon?
Watermelon Benefits and Nutrition for Health
Watermelon is best consumed when the weather is hot, especially with its sweet taste. Even though it is 90% water it turns out that watermelon has a large number of nutrients in it.
Almost all parts of the watermelon can be consumed, for example, apart from the edible flesh, the seeds can also be used as snacks after the roasting process or frying in certain areas.
Watermelon rind which has a thick and green texture can also be used with the flesh when making juice.
Watermelon is popular as a sweet and juicy fruit that has nutrients that are good for health.
Nutrient Content in Watermelon
Watermelon, which is rich in water, has a very low calorie content. Watermelon also contains quite a lot of vitamin A and vitamin C. This fruit is rich in carotenoids and is free of fat and cholesterol. Many believe that watermelons stored at cold room temperature are more nutritious than those stored in the refrigerator.
Here are the details of the vitamins in watermelon per 100 grams
Mineral content per 100 grams of fruit,
100 grams of watermelon contains 30 calories, and 91.5 grams of water, 0.5 grams of fat, 7.55 grams of carbohydrates, 0.4 grams of dietary fiber, 6.2 grams of sugar, and 0.601 grams of protein.
Watermelon seeds also contain certain nutrients and in small amounts 50% of watermelon seeds consist of oil and the other half includes 35% protein and 5% dietary fiber.
Health Benefits of Watermelon
The most important health benefits of watermelon is its carotenoid content which has antioxidant properties. The lycopene that gives watermelon flesh its red color contains most of the carotenoids. 100 grams of watermelon contains 4.5 mg of lycopene which can help reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Also read: Nutritional Content and Benefits of Sweet Potatoes for Body Health
Watermelon contains an amino acid called citrulline which is used by the human body to produce another amino acid called arginine.
Arginine helps remove ammonia from the body and produces nitric oxide which can lower high blood pressure and prevent erectile dysfunction.
Watermelon is associated with various health benefits including:
- Watermelon contains B vitamins which are very helpful for producing instant energy in the body
- Beta carotene contained in watermelon helps boost the immune system and also prevents blindness due to aging
- Watermelon is rich in water and really helps prevent dehydration
- The low calorie content of this fruit makes it hopefully the best fruit for someone who is on a diet
- The minerals contained in it are good for preventing stroke and heart problems
- Watermelon also reduces the symptoms of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Watermelon can be used for skin care, the juice can be applied to remove blemishes on the skin
- Watermelon can also be used for constipation medicine and is believed to be useful in cleansing toxins in the body.
Unlike other fruits, watermelon’s nutrient-to-calorie ratio is higher. As a result, excess intake of watermelon can cause certain health problems for some people.
Excessive consumption of watermelon can cause hyperkalemia (high potassium levels in the blood) in some cases. It often appears in people who have kidney disease.
Watermelon and Diabetes
Diabetics should be careful about the food they eat. Their blood glucose levels will increase for certain foods, one of which is watermelon.
Diabetics are advised not to consume watermelon because this fruit has a high glycemic index. Foods with a high glycemic index can increase blood glucose levels very quickly.
But recent studies show this fruit is beneficial for diabetics if consumed regularly and not in excess.
So currently watermelon can be consumed by diabetics but must be in small amounts. Because watermelon affects blood glucose levels. It is recommended to monitor blood glucose levels after consuming watermelon.
Before that, consult your doctor before including this fruit in the diet list menu.
Tips when buying watermelon
Choose a heavy watermelon that has a smooth skin, green, has white or yellow spots, and when it is tapped or hit the sound is loud.
Those are the benefits and nutritional content of watermelon for health and also tips for buying watermelon.
