Nothing is better than having a refreshing fruit like a watermelon on your plate in the scorching heat of summers. Watermelon is a refreshing fruit which is known for its property to replenish the fluids that are lost in the blazing heat. The fluid content in watermelon is 91% and has very low calorie-content which makes it a congenial fruit. It’s a native of South Africa but now it is grown all over the world.
There are many misconceptions like watermelon can reverse the effects of your diet and exercise due to the excessive sweetness but this is a completely fake fabrication about the fruit. In fact, watermelon can help you a lot in losing your weight. The nutrition experts all over the world recommend that one must include a minimum of two slices of watermelon in his/her breakfast on a regular basis as it will keep them hydrated throughout the day.
How Many Calories In A Slice Of Watermelon?
Watermelon is mostly packed with water and carbohydrates with the presence of proteins, calories, and fats in very minute amounts. Let’s have a deeper knowledge of the dietary constituents of this amazing fruit.
1 wedge of watermelon approximately measuring 290 grams contains:
| Calories | 86 |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 2.9mg |
| Potassium | 321mg |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Proteins | 1.8 g |
| Fats | 0.4 g |
| Calcium | 5.8mg |
| Iron | 11.02g |
- Calories: Watermelon is a low-calorie fruit and each slice of watermelon measuring nearly 290g contains about 86 calories. The calories provided by the food are counter-balanced in digesting it so we can say that there is no much gain of calories from watermelon.
You May Also Like
How Many Calories In A Banana?
Other Nutritional Value
Carbohydrates
The sweetness of the fruit comes from carbohydrates which are approximately 22g per 290 grams of the fruit slice. The sugars that constitute this fruit are glucose, sucrose and, fructose. As each serving of this fruit is poor in carbohydrates so it doesn’t contribute much in increasing your levels of blood sugar.
Fibers
The fruit contains a very minute amount of fibers i.e. merely 1.16 grams in a 290g slice of fruit. However, due to high amounts of fructose, it is considered rich in FODMAPs. FODMAPs are known as Fermentable Oligo, Di, Monosaccharides, and polyols. The foods which are rich in FODMAPs have a difficulty in digestion as these long chains of oligosaccharides are no broken in our stomach and they reach the large intestine where they can cause more absorption of water and ultimately causing diarrhea.
Proteins
Watermelon is a very poor source of protein as merely 1.8g of it is present in a 290g wedge of it. However, its seeds are known to contain a good amount of protein but that protein is not digested by the human body until the shell of the seed is broken and then it is eaten. The shell of the seed protects it from getting digested.
Fats
Fats are generally present in very low amounts in this amazing fruit i.e. only 0.4g in a wedge of 290g. The fats are evenly distributed between polyunsaturated, mono-saturated and saturated fat and thus the fat content is considered to be nearly zero and it is considered a fat-free fruit. However, its seeds are considered a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Vitamin Content
The fruit is incredibly rich in vitamins and minerals. Here is the list of all the vitamins and minerals present in it.
- Vitamin A: – Watermelon is a rich source of Vitamin A consisting of nearly 1650IU of it.
- Vitamin C: – The Vitamin C content in a slice of watermelon is 23.5mg which is a good source of anti-oxidants
- Pantothenic acid: – A small amount of pantothenic acid is also present in the slice of watermelon constituting 3% of the total dietary value.
- Potassium and Sodium: – A 290g wedge of watermelon contains nearly 321mg of potassium and 2.9mg of sodium. These elements are very essential in osmoregulation.
- Iron and Calcium: – These are the essential components of the human body that are essential for the proper functioning of the human body. The iron content in a piece of the fruit is 11.02g and calcium content is 5.8mg approximately.
Some Plant Compound
Watermelon is known to contain certain specific plant compounds like citrulline and lycopene which are known to have plentiful benefits for health.
Citrulline
It is an amino acid which is generally present in the white portion that surrounds the pink section. It is a necessary compound that is converted to arginine in the body. It is present in lesser amounts and one has to consume nearly 2Kg of watermelon in order to meet the daily intake limit of citrulline.
Lycopene
It is a compound which is generally present in red fruits like a tomato. The red color to watermelon is imparted by this compound. It is a rich source of antioxidants and is generally converted into Vitamin A in the human body. The watermelon is a good source of lycopene as compared to tomato.
Both watermelon and watermelon juice recipe have a numerous health benefits which makes it an ideal fruit for summers and it keeps you hydrated all day. It is well-known for lowering blood pressure and helps in reducing insulin resistance. When somebody is involved in strenuous exercise muscle-soreness is a common thing. However, watermelon is known for diminution of muscle-soreness in the human body. As it is a rich source of Vitamin C, so it helps in slaying the free radicals in the body. Lycopene, an active plant compound of watermelon is known to downgrade the chances of cancer of digestive tract from the body.
Watermelon is a superbly nourishing fruit which is power-packed with the necessary vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and certain compounds which are very beneficial for the maintenance of health and proper functioning of the body.
The fruit is not known to cause any sort of allergies but the FODMAPs present in it may cause disorders of the digestive tract and thus making it unsuitable for those having Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
It is an all-inclusive fruit, which is highly recommended by the doctors, nutritionists, and dieticians as a part of a healthy summer diet.
