There’s nothing like cutting up a fresh watermelon to share on a hot day. Whether it’s slices to grab for easy snacking or cubes dipped in a sweet cream cheese dip, watermelon is as tasty as it is refreshing during those scorching summer months. Plus, while this particular fruit tastes sweet, it is also packed with nutrition that can benefit your body’s overall health.
To better understand the benefits and nutritional profile of watermelon, as well as our favorite ways to prepare this fruit, we broke down the science behind what happens to your body when you consume watermelon, using the latest research as well as insight from Maggie Michalczyk, RDN.
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Health Benefits of Watermelon
You’ll Stay More Hydrated
“Watermelon is packed with water, which makes it great for hydration and electrolyte balance because it contains potassium and magnesium,” says Michalczyk.
In particular, watermelon is made up of 92% water, and can count toward your daily fluid intake goals of 11.5 cups a day for women and 13 cups a day for men.
You’ll Get a Boost of Antioxidants
“The antioxidant lycopene contributes to watermelon's bright pink color and helps our body fight off free radical damage and aids in disease prevention,” says Michalczyk. The combination of the lycopene and vitamin C helps to fight free radicals in the body and decreases your risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative diseases.
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You’ll Support Your Immune System
“It's also a good source of vitamins A and C, which are both important for immune and skin health,” Michalczyk continues. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that may prevent and even help treat respiratory and systemic infections. Research shows that consumption of these vitamins, as well as antioxidants like lycopene and beta carotene found in watermelon, can also help to improve your overall immune health.
You’ll Improve Your Heart Health
“Research also shows lycopene can help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar, both of which are important for cardiovascular health,” Michalczyk adds.
Watermelon is Heart-Check Certified by the American Heart Association as a heart-healthy food because it is naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and sodium-free. While watermelon is high in naturally occurring sugar, its fiber content helps to give it a low glycemic load, meaning that the effect it has on your blood sugar is small compared to other sugary foods.
You May Improve Muscle Health
“Another noteworthy benefit of watermelons is the amino acids they contain: citrulline and arginine,” Michalczyk says. “These are two of the 20 amino acids we need to help form muscles, nerves and cells.”
A small study published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that citrulline in watermelon also helped to reduce muscle soreness, making watermelon juice potentially a functional drink for athletes.
Watermelon Nutrition
This is the nutrition information for 1 cup of diced raw watermelon:
- Calories: 46 calories
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Dietary fiber: 1 g
- Total sugar: 9 g
- Added sugar: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Total fat: 0 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Vitamin C: 12 mg (20% DV)
- Vitamin A: 865 IU (5% DV)
- Potassium: 170 mg (4% DV)
- Magnesium: 15 mg (4% DV)
Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, and can also benefit your body’s hydration with its potassium and magnesium.
Are Watermelons Safe for Everyone to Eat?
Watermelons are generally safe for everyone to eat, apart from a few exceptions. While watermelon is a nutritious fruit, eating too much of it may cause blood sugar spikes, which can negatively affect someone who is managing diabetes or insulin resistance.
Secondly, a person can experience an allergic reaction to watermelon if they are allergic to grasses, along with fruits like peaches, celery, tomatoes, oranges and other melons. This reaction is known as oral allergy syndrome, which is a contact allergy in the throat and mouth that occurs when you consume these foods raw. If you experience itching or swelling in the throat, mouth, face, lips or tongue, seek medical attention immediately. If you have concerns about consuming watermelon, talk to your health care team to find out what is best for you.
Tips for Enjoying Watermelon
Make a Salad
Michalczyk’s favorite way to enjoy watermelon is tossed together in a colorful salad. “I love a watermelon, feta and blueberry salad for summer. It's so refreshing, hydrating and delicious!”
This is one of our favorites, as well as this .
Blend a Smoothie
Add cubes of watermelon to your blender when mixing up a smoothie, like this Creamy Watermelon Smoothie with coconut milk yogurt or this Watermelon-Strawberry Smoothie. You can even puree the watermelon in a blender and freeze cubes in a silicone ice cube tray to pop into your blender when it’s time for a smoothie. Or use them as a substitute for ice in the glass of a Watermelon Margarita!
Freeze Sherbet
Make a simple four-ingredient Watermelon Sherbet using watermelon, sweet condensed milk, lime and salt. No ice cream machine necessary for this frozen treat!
Slice Up a Watermelon Pizza
Slices of watermelon are refreshing on their own, but topping your slices with berries and yogurt sweetened with honey for a Watermelon Pizza is a creative and unique option for your next summer gathering.
The Bottom Line
Watermelon is a flavorful fruit that is packed with a number of potential health benefits. It is made of 92% water and can help you reach your hydration goals, may improve your immune system and can benefit your cardiovascular health. It is a great source of vitamins C and A, as well as potassium and magnesium. Watermelon is generally safe for anyone to eat, except for those who experience a watermelon allergy. It is best to keep to two servings of watermelon a day (a typical daily serving of fruit) to avoid uncomfortable bloating and blood sugar spikes—especially for those with diabetes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to eat watermelon every day?
Yes! You can eat fruit like watermelon every day if you choose. In fact, it might help you up your fruit and vegetable intake if you enjoy it. Only 10% to 12% of U.S. adults meet the recommended fruit intake of 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit a day. However, there is such a thing as eating too much watermelon. “Yes, you can eat too much watermelon, which can cause bloating, indigestion and blood sugar spikes, which is important to note especially for people with diabetes,” says Michalczyk.
Does watermelon have a lot of sugar?
Many fruits such as watermelon have a high amount of sugar; however, the sugar in fruit is naturally occurring compared to products made with added sugars. While all sugar breaks down into glucose in your body, added sugar moves into the bloodstream more quickly, which can cause blood sugar spikes (and crashes). But foods like fruits and dairy have other nutrients that help to slow down the digestion process, such as fiber and protein. The fiber content in watermelon helps to slow down the blood sugar spike compared to a food that is high in added sugars and low in fiber.
Is there a difference between yellow watermelon and pink watermelon?
While yellow watermelon and pink watermelon are nutritionally similar, both being great sources of vitamins A and C, yellow watermelon is higher in beta carotene. “[It’s] a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radical damage and oxidative stress, plus it's beneficial for eye and skin health,” says Michalczyk.
Do you get the same nutrition from juiced or blended watermelon?
“Juiced watermelon using a juicer is nearly just as nutritious as eating whole watermelon, with the exception of some of the fiber that gets removed via the pulp,” says Michalczyk. “Watermelon in smoothie form will give you all of the fruit's nutrition. However, it's important to note that blending breaks down some of the fiber, which makes it faster to digest and therefore can cause a spike in blood sugar.” Just like with any fruit-based smoothie, it's important to balance it with a source of protein (think: yogurt, protein powder and/or nuts and seeds) to give it more staying power and make it more blood sugar-friendly.
