"I don't like watermelon seeds", what boy or girl has not said that phrase at some time in their life, and even some adults today. Several years ago fear began to spread about fruit seeds and the damage they caused to the stomach. Today we are going to learn if watermelon seeds are beneficial or not for our body.
Ghostbusters hunted ghosts, as their name suggests, because we could call ourselves mythbusters in food.
Watermelon is a fruit full of benefits for our health and is usually consumed throughout the summer, either in slices or in juices and slushies. There is also watermelon gazpacho, salad, pizzas (watermelon is used as a base and slices of other fruits are placed on top), jam, ice cream, jelly, etc. And the truth is that, in almost all those dozens of recipes, the pips or seeds of the watermelon are removed. It will be for something, right?
Well no, we should not do without the seeds, since they are loaded with benefits for our body, and throughout this text we are going to discover them all.
How are these seeds eaten?
Apart from eating them by biting into the watermelon, we can also prepare a kind of snack with these seeds that will provide a series of benefits to our body that cannot be compared to other snacks such as cartridge potatoes that are unhealthy.
Baked
To prepare the snack, put the black watermelon seeds in a baking tray on parchment paper, add some salt and a splash of extra virgin olive oil, and we set a temperature between 150º and 160º. Now it's time to wait about 15 minutes and when we take them out they will be golden and crunchy, similar to pipes.
We have to let them cool, since we could damage our tongue or palate. We must also warn that those that have burned will be bitter and we will have to remove them.
watermelon seed tea
Infusions can also be prepared, but it should be consumed in moderation, without exceeding ourselves. If we see that it feels bad to us, we must stop immediately. To prepare the infusion you have to grind 40 watermelon seeds, add the result in 2 liters of boiling water and enjoy. This mixture can only be consumed within a period of 2 days, or 3 at the most.
Everything that is left over is convenient to store in a tupperware container with a hermetic seal, a bottle with a hermetic stopper, or any other place where the content is well protected and keep it cold.
Yogurts and shakes
Both the white and black pips are the perfect ingredient to decorate our yogurts natural, or with fruit, also frozen yogurt and fruit shakes or ice cream shakes. And not only the seeds in their original size, but we can also grind them to facilitate homogeneity with the rest of the ingredients.
These seeds can be accompanied by other seeds, such as chia seeds, although those of the watermelon are already almost a superfood and do not need much reinforcement.
benefits of watermelon seeds
A fruit as simple as watermelon also has highly healthy seeds. We are quite surprised to see that something that we have been discarding and throwing away for years is so positive for our heart, our immune system, for blood pressure, and so on.
Fight constipation
watermelon seeds contain dietary fiber, and if we also decide to mix them with water, they favor intestinal transit and help to release feces more easily. It is not good to go over the number of pips, since a large quantity (anything over 40 pips per day) can cause stomach pain.
Remember that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables prevents constipation. In addition, it is very important to hydrate the body to favor the intestinal flora after each meal and to practice anaerobic exercise several times a week with a moderate intensity.
They are low in calories
These little black and white seeds have 20 calories per 100 grams of product. Given their low caloric index, we can eat them as snacks, and even add them to smoothies, creams, to decorate sweets and yogurts, etc. It is not a food that helps to lose weight, it can simply be used as an accompaniment to desserts and drinks if we want to provide nutrients to our body without implying extra fat.
It is best to eat the seeds directly from the watermelon slice. Approximately, each slice of this refreshing fruit weighs about 200 or 300 grams, so it provides us with between 70 and 90 calories, including the seeds. So there is no excuse for not eating them at ease.
heart healthy
These seeds are a source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which, in other words, are good fats that help protect the heart against cardiovascular accidents, they even protect the brain against strokes. They also help reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood, better known as bad cholesterol.
What the watermelon itself is, is rich in citrulline, which is a substance that is converted into an amino acid and protects the heart, the circulatory system and the immune system. In addition, its red color is due to lycopene and this antioxidant prevents cardiovascular problems.
Healthy skin
The nutrients that include watermelon seeds benefit the health of our skin, preventing premature aging since the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals minimize the impact of oxidative stress on cells. specifically the lycopene, is the best ally, since it is a substance that neutralizes free radicals.
This refreshing fruit, rich in water, is the perfect ally for summer, as it is rich in beta-carotene which, apart from helping us to tan, also prevents cell aging due to sun exposure.
Vegetable proteins
If we are vegans and are looking for vegetable proteins to replace animal proteins, watermelon seeds are a very good option. To be more exact, a cup of these seeds is approximately 30 grams of protein, what happens is that we cannot eat so many seeds a day, so it is convenient to look for alternatives or other foods to compensate for the day to day, for example, soybeans, lupins, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, lentils, kidney beans, seitan, almonds, peas, etc.
Proteins are essential to regenerate the cells of our body, produce enzymes and hormones, maintain strong bones and muscles, transport substances through the blood, etc. Lack of protein causes cramps, fatigue, muscle aches, swelling, headaches, nausea, etc.
Diuretic and cleansing properties
Watermelon itself is the perfect fruit for weight loss diets, as well as being a great option for patients with kidney disease, since more than 90% of watermelon is water and helps cleanse the body in a simple and delicious way. Both the seeds and the whole set also have purifying properties thanks to the high alkalizing power that promotes the elimination of acids that are harmful to our body.
It is normal that when taking these seeds we notice that we go to the bathroom more times, and that is what their diuretic and purifying properties are based on. To be more successful, let's not forget to drink at least 1,5 liters of water a day.
How many seeds can I eat a day?
The most correct thing is to eat these seeds once they have been dried in the oven, since the heat breaks the structure that damages the stomach, otherwise, we can suffer stomach pain and gastric discomfort.
To dry them properly, we have to place them on a baking tray with parchment paper at a temperature of 180 degrees for about 15 minutes. When you take them out they should be golden and crispy.
It is not recommended to eat watermelon seeds every day, but occasionally consume about 40 pips (at most). The most appropriate way to eat them is to grind them to add them to a juice, yogurt, smoothie, cream, etc. as we have seen a few paragraphs above, or bake them in the oven with salt and extra virgin olive oil.
So much so, that due to their small size they can pass through our digestive system without being digested, hence the discomfort. That is why it is recommended to grind them before consuming them.
Contraindications of eating watermelon seeds
At present there are watermelons with seeds and clean watermelons without seeds, neither black nor white. This is because many have shunned this wonderfully nutritious and refreshing fruit out of "discomfort" and fear of eating the seeds.
We have already seen that the seeds are quite good for our body, but always in moderation. Go with the quantities, it can lead us to have gases, stomach pains, diarrhea, nausea, indigestion and other side effects.
It is recommended to consult with a nutrition specialist if this food will suit our body, or better replace it with another that also provides us with vitamin C, iron, magnesium, antioxidants, diuretic properties, etc.
In the case of children, it is better not to give them seeds other than those that their slice of watermelon already brings. The seeds can cause severe stomach pain because they are difficult to digest. In case of being pregnant, it is very important to reduce the consumption of certain seeds, and to consult each decision with a specialist.
If we are allergic to watermelon, we will also be allergic to its seeds, because it has almost the same components. If we take a risk we will have serious side effects such as suffocation due to swelling of the throat, vomiting, dizziness, eczema, etc.