Are black watermelon seeds bad for you?
In this brief guide, we are going to answer “are black watermelon seeds bad for you?” and discuss why watermelon seeds are black, why seedless watermelons have white seeds, what happens when you swallow watermelon seeds, how to use watermelon seeds and what are the health benefits of these seeds.
Are black watermelon seeds bad for you?
No, black watermelon seeds are not bad for you, and they surely do not grow in your belly. They need soil in order to grow which, certainly, your stomach cannot provide.
Black watermelon seeds are just normal white seeds that have grown old. If you plant them in your backyard, they will grow into a whole new fruit.
Black seeds are mature and hard, while white seeds are easy to swallow but not fully developed, soft and infertile seeds.
Why are watermelon seeds black?
When the watermelon seeds are small and underdeveloped, they are white. As they start developing and get fully mature, they become black in color.
But do not confuse these immature seeds with that of white-seeded watermelons that are found frequently in China and the Middle East. Watermelons have the special ability to grow multicolor seeds.
Why do seedless watermelons contain white seeds?
Seedless watermelons have hybridized seeds that cannot grow because their seeds are unable to turn black and mature. That’s why they have white seeds.
What happens when you swallow watermelon seeds?
Swallowing a small amount of watermelon seeds doesn’t hurt you. In fact, they are very beneficial for your body as they are enriched with several nutrients. But you need to consume a larger amount of these seeds in order to get their full nutritional value.
How to use watermelon seeds?
There are three ways to consume watermelon seeds. Roasted, sprouted and extracting seed oil.
You can always eat the watermelon seeds raw. But the best way to consume and get all the nutrition is to roast them. You can add these crunchy roasted seeds to your salads, oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies etc.
You can roast watermelon seeds in the oven with some olive oil and salt, or you can roast in a pan and then store them into an airtight jar. These are your perfect anti-hunger snack. You can also try watermelon seeds butter that has the texture of peanut butter.
Sprouting is the best way to fully unlock the nutritional value of watermelon seeds. It initiates germination, and removes the outer black shell of seeds along with the compounds that make them hard to digest. This allows seeds to be digested easily.
One ounce of sprouted seeds contains 10 g of protein, 4 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of fats. Soak your watermelon seeds in water for about a week and ta-da, you get your sprouted seeds. Go here for more sprouting tips.
You can extract oil from watermelon seeds, which has many health benefits especially in skin care routine.
Other FAQs about Watermelon which you may be interested in.
Are watermelon rinds good for dogs?
Are watermelon seeds poisonous?
What are the health benefits of watermelon seeds?
Watermelon seeds are 92% water and they are low caloric, super nutritious food having minerals, vitamins and nutrients such as iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, folate, zinc, good fats, proteins and an antioxidant named lycopene (that has anti-cancer properties).
In a handful servings of 4 grams of seeds, you get 23 calories, 21 mg of potassium, 0.29 mg of iron, 0.3 grams monounsaturated fats, 1.1 grams polyunsaturated fats, and about 4% daily value of zinc.
Some health benefits of watermelon seeds are:
- Eating these seeds boosts your metabolism and energy levels, and also your memory power.
- They help to maintain blood sugar and blood pressure levels and strengthen your heart, immunity and nervous system.
- They also make your skin healthy by cleansing it and preventing acne, dullness and earlier signs of aging.
- The oil from these seeds is used as a moisturizer for your skin.
- Applying watermelon seeds on your hair boosts hair growth and makes them stronger, silky and healthier.
- Eating dried watermelon seeds also helps to prevent osteoporosis and makes your bones stronger by increasing their ability to absorb more minerals.
- Watermelon seeds are also known to have the ability to increase male fertility by improving the quality of sperm.
Avoid over consuming watermelon seeds as it may lead you to gain weight.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered “are black watermelon seeds bad for you?” and discussed why watermelon seeds are black, why seedless watermelons still have white seeds, what happens when you swallow watermelon seeds, three ways to use watermelon seeds andalth benefits.
