Watermelon Juice: Health Benefits, Nutritional Value, Side Effects

When it comes to refreshing beverages, there are very few natural drinks that can compare with watermelon juice. The watermelon plant is from the Cucurbitaceae family and loaded with beneficial plant compounds that make it extremely healthy. It consists of 92% water, which is why it is so refreshing, especially during the summertime. What makes it even better is that it is completely fat-free and low in calories too, making it a great go-to option for those who are health conscious. Additionally, it is loaded with vitamins and amino acids, all of which are essential for optimal body function.

In fact, studies have found that the known watermelon benefits go beyond those that you obtain by simply consuming the flesh. The seeds of the watermelon were also found to be exceptionally nutritious, whether shelled or sprouted.

What is Watermelon Juice?

Watermelon is considered one of the most delicious and flavorful fruits on the planet. It contains numerous vital nutrients, minerals, and water (thus the name). There are a lot of benefits of drinking watermelon juice; why not start drinking it now to acquire all of these minerals and vitamins without wasting them? Of course, you may blend and drink the juice.

Nutritional Value of Watermelon Juice

Despite its high water content, watermelon juice also contains the following ingredients:

• 90% of the water is nutrient-rich
• Vitamins A, C, and B6 are present in every drink
• Amino acids, antioxidants, and lycopene are abundant
• Potassium in trace amounts
• It is low in salt and calories

To highlight the value of this fruit, here are a few watermelon nutrition facts, as for 154g of watermelon.

• Energy: 46.2 calories
• Carbohydrates: 11.6 g
• Fibre: 0.6 g
• Vitamin C: 12.5 mg
• Vitamin A, RAE: 43.1 mcg
• Calcium: 10.8 mg
• Potassium: 172 mg
• Phosphorus: 16.9 mg
• Magnesium: 15.4 mg
• Folate: 4.6 mcg, DFE
• Choline: 6.3 mg

This watermelon nutrition chart clearly shows how healthy the fruit is, even with as little a single cup. For more information, here is a detailed breakdown of the various benefits of eating watermelon.

Health Benefits of Watermelon Juice

Let's look at some of the top watermelon juice benefits. You can simply create this juice at home and flavor it with lemon and ginger.

Watermelon Juice - Water Content

• The water present improves your look
• It keeps you hydrated while also providing the necessary nutrients
• Restores electrolytes and keeps your system hydrated
• Potassium, calcium, and magnesium traces reduce dehydration
• Because of the availability of natural sugars and miners, it may be used in place of water

Watermelon Juice Increases Energy

• Being a good source of vitamins, it increases your energy
• Dopamine is found in vitamin B6 and magnesium, and it fuels the energy cells
• Beta-carotene and Vitamin C are further energy enhancers
• A drink of watermelon juice can help you overcome weakness

Watermelon Juice Is Beneficial For Kidney Stones

• It is beneficial to your kidneys since it is a natural diuretic
• It cleanses your liver and aids in the removal of toxins from your kidneys
• Prevents kidney stone development
• Processes ammonia more quickly and prevents renal edema
• Aids in the correct transit of urine through the urinary tract

Watermelon Juice Is Beneficial To Your Vision

• Better vision is aided by the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A
• Lycopene protects the retina
• Prevents macular degeneration in the eyes
• Night blindness and other age-related issues are avoided
• It shields the eyes from infection

Watermelon Juice Helps You Burn Fat

• The low-calorie content of the liquids aids in fat loss
• Aids in weight loss by decreasing fat and cholesterol in the body
• It aids in the prevention of overeating by creating the sensation that the stomach is full

Watermelon Juice Benefits Hair Development

• The presence of citrulline and water stimulates hair development
• Increases the amount of an amino acid called Arginine in the body, which assists in better blood circulation in the scalp, increasing hair growth
• The presence of proteins and minerals facilitates the process

Prevents Dehydration

Owing to the fact that watermelon is 92% water content, it comes as no surprise that the fruit is effective at rehydration. Further, watermelon is also rich in electrolytes like potassium, which are key to you maintaining a good fluid balance and optimal body function. To illustrate further, potassium is the electrolyte responsible for determining the amount of water within cells. Naturally, a lack of potassium will cause an imbalance within the cells, which can lead to dehydration and cells swelling or exploding. Moreover, dehydration affects the kidneys and then the heart, which is why getting enough potassium is important.

Reduces Blood Pressure

Studies have found that the antioxidant lycopene, found in watermelon, could protect against heart disease and lower your blood pressure. This in addition to the fact it may also reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. What’s more, citrulline increases nitric oxide levels, and nitric oxide is known to help expand constricted blood vessels and thus, lower blood pressure. Another plant compound contained in watermelon, phytosterol, may help reduce LDL cholesterol and studies also indicate that reducing bad cholesterol can help prevent high blood pressure.

Serves as a Diuretic

The function of diuretics is mainly to help the body flush out excess salt and water from the system. This is required for some, for instance, persons suffering from health conditions like kidney problems or high blood pressure. Watermelon is a natural diuretic and is helpful in ridding the body of excess fluid in a way that does not strain the kidneys. In fact, when compared to furosemide (a diuretic), watermelon’s diuretic effect was found to be comparable by a mouse study. However, even with this study, and research backing watermelon’s diuretic prowess, it is important to remember that is not advisable to ever substitute prescription diuretics with watermelon without your doctor’s consent.

Minimises Muscle Soreness

Feeling muscle soreness after an intense workout or strain is normal, but consuming amino acids may aid you to make a swift recovery. Watermelon is a good source of one such amino acid known as citrulline, which has a few studies backing its ability to reduce muscle soreness. Moreover, among the many health benefits of watermelon, it was found that the fruit enhances the absorption of citrulline within the body, making it that much more effective. In fact, another study found that mixing citrulline with watermelon juice had desirable effects, namely, quicker heart rate recovery, and reduced muscle soreness.

Keeps Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Check

Both lycopene and vitamin C are key anti-inflammatory antioxidants and keeping inflammation in check is important to you avoiding several chronic diseases. Antioxidants work as agents that neutralise free radicals (substances that can cause oxidative stress) and that’s not all, watermelon also contains choline. Choline keeps chronic inflammation in check, which is known to cause damage to DNA, internal scarring, and tissue death as it gets worse.

Aids Digestion

Digestion is an important part of optimal body function and an important nutrient to this process is fiber. Now, fiber and water are nutrients available in watermelon, and these help with digestion immensely. Firstly, fiber adds bulk to your stool and secondly, the water in watermelon keeps your digestive tract moving. These are both keys to normal bowel function and can help you steer clear of nasty health complications like constipation.

Uses of Watermelon Juice

There are several uses of watermelon juice. Because it is easy to find, it is a popular summer drink. There are a plethora of health benefits of watermelon juice. It keeps you hydrated and supplies several essential nutrients. Body weight may be maintained while keeping the heart healthy. It also benefits renal health. Watermelon juice for weight lossis also one of its greatest advantages.

Watermelon juice may be applied straight to the skin. A thicker juice can be scrubbed. Allow the watermelon pulp to settle on your skin for a few minutes to notice how it exfoliates. It directly absorbs all nutrients into the skin, leaving you appearing fresh and youthful. It softens the skin and, if necessary, eliminates tan.

Side-Effects & Allergies of Watermelon Juice

A significant amount of watermelon juice might have negative consequences on your health. These might include:

• Disturbance in the intestine
• It might spike blood sugar levels
• Pregnant women should avoid it
• Because it causes insulin imbalance, it is not suggested for diabetics
• It also causes face edema, anaphylaxis, and skin rashes
• Nerve and muscular problems are possible

Given all these watermelon health benefits, there is no good reason for you to skip consuming this nutritious fruit. Moreover, it serves as a great snack that you can have either whole or as a juice. In fact, watermelon is quite a common ingredient in many popular refreshing beverages and can even be tossed into salads.

However, despite the many watermelon juice benefits, it is important to consider that the fruit is high in natural sugar content. As such, there are risks to those who are sensitive to it, like diabetics. In addition to this, it may also act as an allergen, increasing the chances of a reaction. Remember, these can be quite deadly, so it’s better to consult your dietician beforehand, especially if you are sick and trying watermelon as a treatment.

With the healthcare platform provided by Bajaj Finserv Health, getting medical advice is now easier than ever before. With it, you can find the best doctors in your vicinity, book appointments online, and consult virtually over video. This makes remote healthcare a lot more accessible, especially when seeking care from nutritionists as, here, physical check-ups aren’t always necessary. Moreover, with the ‘Health Vault’ feature, you can track important vitals like your BMI, maintain digital patient records, and share them with doctors or laboratories. This makes it easier to get periodical updates to your diet, whenever needed.