Watermelon Rind: Health benefits and How to Use it

We all love eating a hearty serving of refreshing watermelon with a sprinkle of pink salt, but few know that watermelon rind is also extremely healthy and should not be thrown away. Watermelon rind is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, providing numerous health benefits. It is also rich in dietary fiber, which helps in resolving various digestive problems. Watermelon rind is also good for your heart and helps in keeping cholesterol in check. Read on to find out how to eat watermelon rind and how it can benefit your body.

What is watermelon rind?

The best part of watermelon is the juicy red part that most people prefer, but the white part of the watermelon is also edible. Watermelon rind is the tough outer layer of the watermelon that is also edible. It is green on the outside and white on the inside. This rind is edible and has many health benefits. It can be eaten raw, but it is not as tasty. However, it can be boiled, fried, or added to a variety of recipes.

Health benefits of watermelon rind

The health benefits of watermelon rind include:

1. High in fiber

The most important benefit of watermelon rind is that it is rich in dietary fiber. A diet high in fiber helps keep you full and prevents many diseases. It also helps you lose weight. Food Technology and Biotechnologyanalyzed the quality of high-fiber pasta cooked with watermelon rind powder. They found that the total dietary fiber content of the watermelon rind powder samples was much higher than that of durum wheat pasta. The study also stated that watermelon rind contains high amounts of total dietary fiber as well as protein and minerals.

2. Rich in vitamins and minerals

Watermelon rind is a healthy food that is rich in many vitamins and minerals. Trends in Food Science and Technologystates that watermelon rind contains potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron, which are essential for nutrition. Biosystems JournalWatermelon rind powder, made from the light green part of the watermelon rind, contained the highest amount of protein (19.74 percent), while the dark green part of the watermelon rind contained the most dietary fiber (13.35 percent).

3. Lowers blood pressure

Watermelon rind has the effect of lowering blood pressure. Journal of the American College of HypertensionStudies have shown that watermelon rind can help lower blood pressure in obese people. Watermelon rind is also known to have a diuretic effect, which means it increases the amount of fluid in the body, which also helps regulate blood pressure.

4. Improve your training

Eating watermelon rind may help boost your exercise: Watermelon rind contains citrulline, which helps deliver more oxygen to muscles and improves athletic performance, according to the study. Journal of Applied Physiology.

5. Improved sexual performance

Watermelon rind contains an amino acid called citrulline, which may help improve erections without Viagra, the study said. UrologyThe study also found it helped increase semen quality and testosterone. JBRA Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Side effects of watermelon rind

Although watermelon rind is very healthy, eating too much of it can be bad for you. Eating too much watermelon can cause indigestion, bloating, and gas. Also, watermelon rind is not as juicy as the flesh of the fruit, so it may not taste as good, but it can improve the taste of your recipes.

How to eat watermelon rind?

While you might not be keen on plucking the green skin off a watermelon, there are other ways to incorporate watermelon rind into your diet. You can also pickle it and enjoy it as a side dish. To do this, peel and boil the rind, take the white part with the light pink layer on top, and add spices.

Alternatively, you can sauté watermelon rind. Treating the rind like any other vegetable not only adds some much-needed crunch to your dish, but it also boosts its nutritional value.

Watermelon rind can also be juiced with other fruits or added to smoothies.

Recipe: Stir-fried watermelon rind

• 4 cups watermelon rind (tough green skin removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 inch chopped ginger
• Serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried green mango powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Instructions

• Melt the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the cumin seeds and when they begin to pop, add the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper.
• After 1 minute, add the paprika, coriander powder, anchovies, paprika, turmeric and salt.
• Add the watermelon rind and water and mix well.
• Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Once the skin is soft and most of the water has been absorbed, remove the lid and add the garam masala.
• Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and enjoy.

FAQ

Which part of the watermelon rind is best eaten?

You can eat the whole skin, but the white part is the richest source of the amino acid citrulline, which aids in muscle building and blood flow.

What does watermelon rind taste like?

The white part of the watermelon rind tastes similar to cucumber so you can add it to salads. When cooked, it tastes like carrot. The rind has a very neutral taste and you can customize the taste by adding spices.