5 Health Benefits of Watermelon Seeds

One might be accustomed to spitting them out as one eats the watermelon. Some people simply go in for seedless. But the nutritional value of watermelon seeds indeed can make one want to eat it.

Watermelon seeds are rather low in calories and are nutrient dense. When roasted, they are rather crispy easily take the place of other unhealthy snack options.

How to Roast Watermelon Seeds

Roasting watermelon seeds is easy. Set your oven at 325°F and place the seeds on a baking sheet. It should only take about 15 minutes for them to roast, but you may want to stir them halfway through to ensure even crispiness.

You can make the seeds taste even better by adding a little olive oil and salt or sprinkling them with cinnamon and a light dusting of sugar. If you prefer more flavor, one can add lime juice and chili powder, or even cayenne pepper.

Nutritional Benefits of Watermelon Seeds

How much nutrition one can reap from watermelon seeds largely on how many ones actually eat. Because they are rather small, one does need to eat quite a few to get their considerable benefits. As compared to other sacks, watermelon does contain a lot of nutrition.

1. Low Calorie

One ounce of watermelon seeds contains approximately 158 calories. There are rather approximately 400 watermelon seeds in a single ounce, far too many to eat in rather one sitting. By contrast, there are only 15 potato chips in an ounce, far less than most people would normally munch in one sitting.

A large handful of watermelon seeds weighs about 4 grams, which does contain about 56 seeds and just about 22 calories.

2. Magnesium

One of several minerals that are found in watermelon seeds is magnesium. In a 4 gram serving, one will get 21 mg of magnesium. Magnesium is indeed essential for many of the body’s metabolic functions. It is also required to maintain nerve as well as muscle function, as well as immune, heart, and bone health.

3. Iron

A handful of watermelon seeds do contain about 0.29 mg of iron. Iron is an important component of hemoglobin — carrying oxygen through the body. It also one’s body convert calories into energy.

4. Folate

There are in fact 2 μ of folate in a single serving of watermelon seeds. Folate, which is also known as folic acid or vitamin B-9, is essential for proper brain functioning and also works to control homocysteine levels. Women of childbearing years do need even more since folate deficiency has been associated with certain neural tubal birth defects.

5. ‘Good’ Fats

Watermelon seeds also do provide a good source of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids — 0.3 and 1.1 grams, respectively. These fats are indeed protecting against heart attack and stroke, and lower levels of “bad” cholesterol in one’s blood.

Conclusion

Watermelon seeds are good for health. It is good to have them. You may like to read Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil