The benefits and harms of watermelon seeds for our health
Watermelon is a non-waste product. Delicious candied fruits are prepared from the crusts, and the seeds are a healthy delicacy. All parts of the striped berry contain a large number of unique constituents, but the seeds also have nutritional value. 100 grams of seeds contain more than half the daily requirement of protein and 85% fat. The benefits of watermelon seeds have long been studied. Read about: benefits of pumpkin seeds for the human body!
Composition of watermelon seeds
Before you can benefit from watermelon seeds, they must be husked. Therefore, eating the watermelon pulp and swallowing the seeds at the same time will not be beneficial. Can you eat watermelon with seeds? Not worth it, you can get clogging and abdominal pain.
The energy value of a product is determined by the content of basic substances, and these are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It was determined that in a standard portion of watermelon seeds they are presented in the following proportions.
- The protein component is 30.6 g. These are amino acids necessary for building muscle mass, which is 61% of the body's daily requirement. Includes arginine, glutamic acid, lysine, tryptophan. Caloric content of proteins 117 Kcal.
- Fat is 51 grams, including 11 grams of saturated, poly- and monounsaturated, including Omega-6, which covers 84.6% of the daily requirement and is 426 Kcal.
- There are few carbohydrates in the seeds, only 15.31 grams, this is 61 Kcal and 6.1% of the daily requirement of the body.
The figures show that watermelon seeds are a high-calorie product, 600 kcal is one third of the energy for a person who does not go in for sports and hard physical labor. However, watermelon seeds are valued for the beneficial properties of the vitamins, minerals and biologically active elements present.
A number of B vitamins improve metabolism, affect the metabolism, reproductive and brain activity of the body. There are few of them, fractions of milligrams, but catalysts are effective in small quantities:
- nicotinic acid - 3.55 mg - 17.8% of the daily requirement;
- folic acid - 0.058 mg - 14.5%;
- pyrodixin - 0.089 - 4.5%;
- pantothenic acid - 0.346 mg - 6.9%;
- riboflavin - 0.145 mg - 8.1%;
- thiamine - 0.19 mg - 12.7%.
Each of these vitamins acts on a specific function of the body. Basically, they contribute to the transfer of the energy component of food into physiological processes. Vitamins improve the functioning of the nervous system. Niacin has beneficial effects on skin, hair and nails.
But watermelon seeds are especially appreciated for the combination of trace elements, which are not found in such quantities in any product. Some of the metals provide a standard portion of the daily requirement of the body. At the same time, minerals are also contained in the seed coat, so it is important to eat not only the kernel, but also the peel. This is the answer to the question of whether you can eat watermelon seeds.
| Element | Weight mg | Day% | Element | Weight mg | Day% | |
| manganese | 1,614 | 80,7 | magnesium | 556 | 139 | |
| sodium | 99 | 7,6 | potassium | 648 | 25,9 | |
| phosphorus | 755 | 94,4 | iron | 7,28 | 40,4 | |
| zinc | 10,24 | 85,3 | copper | 6,86 | 68,6 |
Zinc is especially beneficial for the male body.He also keeps the immune system in good shape. If hair begins to fall off, fatigue and diarrhea appear, zinc-containing foods should be included in the diet. There is not enough iron in plant foods. You can get it from watermelon seeds and meat and fish food. Iron is needed for the production of red blood cells in the hematopoietic system.
It is known that the fibrous constituents for our digestive system are like a whisk for the janitor. In watermelon seeds, hemicellulose serves as a cleaner, which acts softer on the mucous membrane than ordinary fiber.
The value of citrulline in watermelon seeds
The benefits and harms of watermelon seeds are highly dependent on the content of the amino acid citrulline in the product. This substance is found in all the components of watermelon, but it is synthesized in the body itself. This substance is very necessary for the body. Therefore, supplements are used to stimulate the cardiac activity of athletes, to raise potency in men. It has already been proven that the use of citrulline in foods or supplements:
- reduces hypertension;
- suppresses sickle-shaped anemia;
- normalizes blood sugar.
However, along with the benefits for healthy people, the use of seeds for individual citizens can become problematic. There are people in whom the body does not produce citrulline. The disease is called citrullinemia and is caused by a metabolic disorder. The metabolism of the incoming substance involves its transformation into arginine with a decomposition product containing ammonia. It is excreted in the urine and is irritating. This is the basis of the harmfulness of citrulline.
In West Africa, watermelon seeds are a must in soups. In China, fried watermelon seeds are found in many condiments.
Based on the complex effects on the human body, the beneficial properties of watermelon seeds have not been confirmed for people:
- patients with citrullinemia;
- pregnant women due to the presence of proteins and citrulline;
- nursing mothers and children up to three years old;
- persons with diseases of the pancreas;
- people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
If, upon examination, this amino acid is found in the patient's blood, then watermelon seeds are contraindicated. For people suffering from diseases of the genitourinary sphere, the use of seeds in food should be limited.
How to fry seeds properly?
Fry the washed and dried seeds in a dry, thick-walled skillet for a few minutes until browning. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in 50 ml of water and simmer the seeds in this solution until it boils away. There are seeds you need with a shell.
Roasted seeds can be used as an anthelmintic for prophylactic purposes and during illness.
Dried seeds can be consumed as a useful supplement in the menu, or as a delicacy. However, women have found other uses for this product. An effective cleansing procedure is carried out with a composition ground into flour, mixed with medical clay. The scrub is light, not traumatic, but effective.