Is It OK To Eat Watermelon Seeds?

Being a child, our biggest fear was to swallow the seeds of fruits, especially a fruit that’s big as a watermelon. We always thought we would end up having a watermelon grown inside our tummy. 

But it’s all a myth! There is no potential harm in eating watermelon seeds. In fact, most people consume them for different reasons. Hence, there are no more worries about consuming it mistakenly. 

Let’s dive deeper into the article and discover- “is it ok to eat watermelon seeds.” I have also listed other queries about watermelon seeds, as well. So sit back and relax as we unfurl a few essential details about it. 

Different Types Of Watermelon Seeds Available

What’s the first thing you see after cutting a fresh, pulpy watermelon brought from the market? The seeds, right? Only after you’re done savoring the reddish treat, you’re going to get afterward. 

There are basically two types of seeds found inside the fruit- one is black, and the other one is white in color. But how are they different?

Black seeds inside the watermelon are mature and fertile in nature. This simply indicates that you can plant them and later have a watermelon plant. But that’s not the case with their white counterparts. 

White seeds in watermelon are immature in nature and have time to become fertile. On planting them, they cannot become a plant as the sprout is yet to be developed. Hence, these seeds appear translucent and thinner. 

While consuming the fruit, if you accidentally consume the white seeds- it is entirely harmless. But even if you are having a black one, there’s no potential harm- other than it getting stuck in your windpipe. 

Is It OK To Eat Watermelon Seeds? Potential Risks Of Doing So!

We know that eating a watermelon seed will not grow a plant inside your belly, no matter how much you water it. But there are a few concerns regarding its consumption. 

Based on the size of the seed, it can create the risk of choking in younger kids as the size of their windpipe is too narrow. Due to the hard nature of the seed, it cannot be brought down by water or other liquids. Hence, it’s best not to consume them at all!

Additionally, consuming these seeds every day might result in constipation for people who cannot take up iron and fiber. If you are craving to snack on watermelon seeds, there are other effective alternatives as well. 

Since watermelon seeds are a natural source of nutrients like folate, niacin, and iron, many patients are recommended to consume them. However, be mindful about the portion and the kinds of food you are having in combination with these seeds. 

Some Health Benefits Of Watermelon Seeds

Watermelon seeds, as I said already, are packed with nutrients and keep the tummy full for a long time. This is why a lot of people love chewing it. But there are other health benefits of eating it, too.

1. Proteins On, Calories Off

That’s the number one priority for these seeds, which are nutrient-dense yet low in calories. Serving dry watermelon seeds in a single ounce itself serves 158 calories and 8 grams of protein. 

On the other hand, the same quantity of pecans offers 196 calories and just 3 grams of protein. Since protein is the source of keeping the tummy full, you can have watermelon seeds as an afternoon snack. Not more than that!

2. Full of Unsaturated Fats

Watermelon seeds consist of healthy fats and a lot of them! If a single ounce provides the goodness of 2 gms of monounsaturated fatty acids. However, polyunsaturated fatty acids are available upto 8 gms. 

The U.S.A. Heart Association recommends people consume a moderate quantity of unsaturated fats every day. Not only do they reduce the levels of triglycerides in the blood, but they also keep the body’s cholesterol level low. 

The human body isn’t competent enough to produce unsaturated fats by itself. Hence, getting them through our diets might be helpful. 

3. Packed With The Goodness Of Magnesium

A similar portion of watermelon seeds contains more than 140 milligrams of magnesium. It is the same mineral needed for nerve and muscle function. 

The human body requires magnesium to keep blood sugar levels and blood pressure in check. 

Hence, the NIH National Institutes of Health suggests the consumption of 420 mg of magnesium is ideal for an adult man. An adult woman can also have watermelon seeds as her body needs 320 mg of magnesium every day. 

4. Full of Iron 

Last but not least, watermelon seeds provide a great source of iron. You will get at least 2 mg of iron in a single-ounce serving of watermelon seeds. The former is an essential component found in hemoglobin. 

Hemoglobin is found in blood and is basically a red blood cell protein that brings oxygen to tissues and lungs. So, those asking- “is it ok to eat watermelon seeds,” the answer is simply yes!

An adult man, as recommended by the NIH, must ingest 8 mg of iron every day, whereas an adult woman should consume at least 18 mgs. Since women are more prone to iron deficiency, they need more iron content in their bodies.

Pits And Seeds You Should Not Consume

It might be a little relief to know that watermelon seeds aren’t a danger when consumed. Sadly, that’s not the case with all seeds and pits found in veggies and fruits. Here’s why:

Pits and seeds that can be consumed safely are:

• Pomegranate seeds
• Dragonfruit seeds
• Cucumber seeds

However, the following are those that should not be consumed at all:

Apple or Apricot Seeds 

One of the first ones on the list of harmful seeds is those belonging to the Rosaceae family of fruits. Starting from peaches to apples, cherries, apricots, pears, peaches, and even plums. Seeds of these fruits are not safe to consume. 

All these fruits contain enormous amounts of amygdalin. When they are crushed, they become poisonous as hydrogen cyanide. Thus, consuming them in a significant amount might result in confusion, anxiety, dizziness, and even low blood pressure. 

A few of them can escalate to coma, paralysis, and even death if a human ingests it too much. 

Castor Bean Seeds 

Castor oil is produced with the help of castor seeds because the unhulled bean consists of ricin, a lethal substance. Ricin, when consumed, imposes enormous risk once it enters the cell. 

It stops producing protein that is important for their usual function. Hence, Ricin leads to the death of the cell, eventually risking human health. Ingesting whole unhulled castor beans produces less risk, but you’ll still require medical attention.

If you accidentally consume these seeds, the immediate side effects are nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and dehydration. Finally, it culminates into pancreas damage, seizure, kidney and liver damage, etc. 

Raw Kidney Beans

If you wonder- is it ok to eat watermelon seeds, at least they’re better than raw kidney beans. Kidney beans, when cooked, are excellent protein sources, but the raw ones are very toxic. 

Kidney beans, just like legumes, are rich in phytohaemagglutinin. If their quantities increase, raw kidney beans can harm humans. In the next 2-3 hours after eating them, you will experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and nausea. 

It’s best if you soak these beans for at least 5 hours and boil them. Either consume boiled kidney beans or cook them overall. 

Lychee Seeds

This Asian fruit is very famous and loved by people. But did you know that their seeds are very harmful to humans? The ripe fruit is extremely nutritious and the sweet juice in them makes them super delicious. 

However, these seeds are toxic as they consist of MCPA or methylene cyclopropyl-alanine. This toxin is associated with hypoglycemic encephalopathy that results in low blood sugar. 

Hypoglycemic encephalopathy causes people to die if the consumer is fasting or malnourished. However, the consumption of lychee is not too common due to its size. But to stay safe, it is better not to eat unripe lychee. 

Concluding Words

If you want to eat watermelon seeds, make sure to dry or roast them for safe consumption. The overall question of “Is it ok to eat watermelon seeds?” isn’t incorrect. 

But consuming something, even in the smallest quantity, should come with a few considerations. In this case, you need to stay away from seeds that have a direct impact on your health. 

With that, here comes an end to this article. Thank you for reading till the end. Keep following us if you want to read such an informative guide.

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