Watermelon rind, the tough outer layer of watermelon, has a green exterior that fades to pale white inside before offering red and pink flesh of the fruit itself. Though it is less juicy, it contains a large percentage of the nutrients within the entire fruit. It has higher concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, and zinc, as well as chlorophyll, citrulline, lycopene, amino acids, and flavonoids and phenolic compounds.
Here are some of the health benefits we can obtain from watermelon rind.
It Is Rich In Fiber
Watermelon rind is significantly rich in fiber which offers numerous health benefits including the following:
- It helps in making us feel full and in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Maintains regular bowel movements and lower one’s risk of developing diseases of the colon.
- It helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Has Citrulline Content
In a study published in the June 2005 issue of the “Journal of Chromatography, researchers have found that watermelon rind contains a compound known as citrulline, which offers a wide range of health benefits. Citrulline has antioxidant effects that can protect us against free-radical damages. Aside from this, researchers from Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center have found that citrulline is converted into arginine, an amino acid vital to the heart, circulatory system, and immune system.
Helps Break Down Kidney Stones
Potassium, which is present in watermelon rind, is an essential ingredient for healthy kidneys. It helps in regulating and maintaining the acid level in urine and flushes out stones that may be lurking in the kidneys.
Can Help Boost the Immune System
A single cup of watermelon rind can provide our body with more than 30% of our daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C can boost our immune system by stimulating the production of white blood cells, the first line of defense against infections and foreign pathogens in the body.
Helps Treat Urinary Tract Infections
Due to the hydrating and diuretic properties of watermelon rind, it can effectively help treat urinary tract infections. That’s why, at the first sign of a UTI, start drinking watermelon rind juice.
Skin Care
The fruit rind has a decent amount of lycopene and other flavonoids, which can help to reduce the effects of free radicals and lower oxidative stress thus minimizing the appearance of early signs of aging such as age spots, blemishes, and wrinkles.
Helps Regulate Blood Pressure
The water content of watermelon rind can help lower down high blood pressure. It can also help regulate blood sugar circulation and normalize blood pressure if a person happens to suffer from low blood pressure.
How to Use Watermelon Rind?
Because of the watermelon rind’s tough and fibrous consistency, it is less than appealing as a snack. We can simply add them to smoothies and jams or pickle in for later use. Also, we can try adding the rind in an apple cider mixture along with other spices or just blend the rind in a healthy morning shake. For a fiber-rich and flavorful treat, we can also shave watermelon rind into salads or dice the rind into salsa.
