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Why watermelon can bust cholesterol and fat with fibre and Omega 3: Never throw its seeds and rind

In many traditional food cultures, people cook the rind with vegetables for a fibre-rich meal

Watermelon is 92 per cent water, which promotes satiety, reducing the intake of higher-calorie snacks and foods. It contains an amino acid arginine that improves blood flow and accelerates fat burning.

Written by Dr Varsha Gorey

Watermelon has often been stereotyped as just a hydrating summer fruit and as a natural electrolyte given its potassium and magnesium content but seldom has it been looked at as helping with weight management. Yet the whole fruit can help you shed the extra flab and calories.

ITS WATER CONTENT ALSO KEEPS YOU FULL

Watermelon is 92 per cent water, which promotes satiety, reducing the intake of higher-calorie snacks and foods. It contains an amino acid arginine that improves blood flow and accelerates fat burning. It contains a compound called citrulline, which increases metabolism (the process by which the body converts food into energy), burning more fat.

DON’T THROW AWAY ITS RIND AND SEEDS

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We usually throw away watermelon rind, which is very rich in fibre and can help with reducing cholesterol, regulating blood sugar levels by delaying digestion and sugar release and supporting gut microbes. In many traditional food cultures, for example in Karnataka, people stir-fry the rind along with vegetables. Sometimes, the soft bit is scooped out, blended, and with a tempering of mustard and chillies, is rolled out as pancakes or dosas.

The white rind is a good source of fibre, vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium and antioxidants like lycopene, the last helping in reducing cell damage. Watermelon rinds can be used in salads, pickles, chutneys or even as a snack.

Its seeds are a good source of healthy fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which contribute to heart health and help manage cholesterol levels. Their paste can be used for thickening gravies as a substitute for cashew paste and cream. Their magnesium content plays a role in regulating carbohydrate metabolism, which can help improve blood glucose control and prevent excess calorie buildup which could lead to fat deposits.

Watermelon seeds provide a significant amount of plant-based protein, which supports muscle growth and repair.

HOW MUCH WATERMELON SHOULD ONE HAVE IN A DAY

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Watermelon has a high glycaemic index (GI) of 72, which is a measure of how fast it can lead to a blood sugar spike. But its glycaemic load, which tells you how high your sugar could rise to when you eat that food, is low. Watermelon has a very low glycaemic load (GL) of five per serving of 120 grams. So even with a high GI that makes sugar enter the bloodstream quickly, it doesn’t actually have that much sugar, as long as you don’t have too much of it.

A 100 gram serving of watermelon contains approximately 30 calories, eight to nine per cent of which are carbohydrates. Now 100 grams of watermelon would be 10 to 12 one-inch diced cubes, just enough for a diabetic. Those without blood sugar, too, should not exceed 200 grams every day.

By incorporating watermelon rind into your diet, you can reap health benefits and reduce food waste.

(Dr Gorey is a senior clinical dietitian, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai)