Can you eat Watermelon Seeds? Now Answered

Can you eat Watermelon Seeds

Yes, you can. Watermelon seeds are very nutritious. You can use them in salads or you can consume them in powder form. They contain two types of seeds which are the white seeds and the black seeds.

a) White seeds: The white seeds are considered to be immature and so, can’t be used to plant a watermelon plant. The white seeds are soft, easy to eat, and swallow when consuming the flesh of the watermelon. They are, however, very safe to eat.

b) Black seeds: These are found in a regular watermelon. They are grown to give/sprout a watermelon plant. They can also be eaten but do not have much flavor and are more difficult to chew compared to the white seeds. However, they are also safe to eat.

How to use Watermelon Seeds

Watermelon seeds can be used in a number of ways which include:

You can roast the seeds. Roasted watermelon seeds contain nutrients and also have healthy fatty acids, omega-3s for example. Asides from the fatty acid contents, they also contain magnesium and potassium which help in boosting hydration and electrolyte balance post-workout.

Watermelon seeds can be used in making watermelon seed butter. You can choose to spread the butter on bread, crackers, e.t.c. You can plant the seeds, particularly the black seeds to sprout watermelon plants.

To roast watermelon seeds:

First of all, rinse and dry the seeds. Note that watermelon seeds roast best when completely dried. After drying them, toss the seeds with a little amount of olive oil or grapeseed oil.

Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheet and sprinkle salt on them. Proceed to bake them at 163°C for about 10 – 15 minutes.

Health Benefits of Consuming Watermelon Seeds

They are rich in potassium, magnesium, copper, e.t.c which are essential for the body. They help in boosting immunity and the presence of magnesium in them also helps in managing hypertension and blood pressure.

They also help in making the bones stronger. This is a result of the presence of copper, manganese, and potassium. The combination of these minerals helps in improving bone density.

They contain amino acids, proteins, and vitamin B complex which are essential for the body.

The seeds can also be used in skin and hair care. The proteins and iron help in improving the texture and quality of the hair. As for the antioxidants, they help the skin to keep staying youthful.

Watermelon seed oil is sometimes, used as the main ingredient when making cosmetic products. This is because they help to treat acne and also, slow down early aging.

Conclusion

Watermelon seeds can be eaten and they are absolutely safe to eat. Consuming them also comes with a lot of benefits already explained in this article. If you wish to boost your energy level, you can try consuming watermelon seeds as they are high in calories and most of these calories are from healthy fatty acids present in them.