Hey, remember summers? Well if you don’t, then am sure watermelons might transport you back to the juicy and refreshing part of summers.
And naturally so, since watermelon is a fruit that has 98 percent water and healthy amount of nutrients such as vitamin A and C, beta carotene, lycopene, potassium, magnesium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc. Doesn’t this look voluminous of watermelon rinds?
The sad part is that the green scraps called watermelon rind usually end up in the dustbin. You might be wondering what is watermelon rind and can you eat watermelon rind? Well, the good thing is that not only is the rind of watermelon edible, the health benefits of watermelon rind are something to talk about.
Let me show you the benefits of watermelon rind and how eating watermelon rind is worthwhile.
Watermelon Rind Nutritional Benefits:
The watermelon rind might not be as juicy as the flesh of a watermelon, but you can still eat it. Did you know that roughly 1 inch cube of this fruit has 1.8 calories, most of which come from carbohydrates?
While you won’t get enough of macronutrients from eating watermelon rind, but it does have vitamins. One serving of rind gives you 2 percent of the daily intake of vitamin C and 1 percent of vitamin B-6 that your body needs every day.
[Also Read: Cranberry Juice for Immunity ]
This is what makes the rind of watermelon not only good for your skin but also for immunity and nervous system.
1. Citrulline Content:
Watermelon rind has a compound called citrulline which has a range of medicinal benefits. Evidence suggests that watermelon rinds give antioxidant effects which further protect you from free-radical damage. Researchers further add that citrulline gets converted to arginine which is an important amino acid vital to the heart, immune system and circulatory system.
And yes yes yes, citrulline helps in weight loss too, since the fibre in watermelon rinds gives you a feeling of fullness for long. In fact, studies have shown that people who take citrulline are prone to losing 30 percent more weight than those who don’t.
2. For Expecting Mothers:
Pregnant women can also enjoy the advantages of watermelon rinds. When taken in small portions, the rinds help in reducing heart burn, and can also reduce the swelling which is normally associated with pregnancy.
The natural sugars in the rinds can reduce morning sickness too. If muscle cramps ever trouble you, then try eating a bit of rinds of watermelon in order to avoid the possibility of future cramps.
4. Serving Tips:
How about knowing serving tips when it comes to eating watermelon rind? Am sure it would add more juice and health to the issue.
In olive oil, sauté chopped watermelon rinds. Then season it with salt and pepper to get added flavour. You can explore the creative side by adding a mixture of red chilli flakes, paprika and cilantro.
To add bulk and nutritional value, you can add carrots, potatoes and parsnips to watermelon rinds. For a nutrient-packed beverage, you can add juicing watermelon rind to it.
Some Recipes Using Watermelon Rind:
When you take a look at recipes made of watermelon rinds, you will realise their culinary potential too.
1. Candied Watermelon Rind:
I hope you will not be hasty from now on. As you saw, the often-wasted watermelon rinds can do good things for your body. So either eat the rinds or enjoy the juicing watermelon rind benefits. You just have to find a use for it so that it helps you cut down on the garbage amount you produce, and protect the environment as well.
Write in your comments if you have any more benefits or recipes of watermelon rind to share with us.
Images Source: foodiesfeed.com
