Watermelon seeds: useful properties and contraindications

The traditional season of ripe, juicy and fragrant watermelons is the end of August and the beginning of September. These giant berries Russians love very much, but, unfortunately, not everyone knows that watermelon seeds can be eaten, as they are useful for the human body. However, this innocuous product also has its own contraindications for use. Let's try to understand this question in the most detailed way, who can and even is recommended to include in their diet watermelon and its seeds, and who should refrain from eating them.

Composition and calories

The exact caloric value of watermelon and its seeds can not be calculated, since it depends directly on the size of the fruit and its ripeness. There are approximately 25-30 kcal per 100 grams of the product. Let's take a closer look at the parameters of the FFA.

• Protein - 0.6 grams;
• carbohydrates - 0.8 grams;
• fats - 0.2 grams;
• cholesterol - 0.

Interesting: If you add fats to the watermelon, for example, make it into a salad with arugula leaves and goat cheese, then such a dish could well replace one of the meals and become a light dinner in the hot season.

The flesh of the watermelon contains many useful substances:

1. Vegetable fiber has a beneficial effect on the digestive system and makes the human body work like a precise clock. In addition, fiber excretes not only toxins, but also bad cholesterol, and this in turn helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
2. Organic acids maintain the correct balance of acid-base balance. Due to this, metabolic processes are normalized, special substances are produced, which fill each cell with energy.
3. Pectin stabilizes metabolism, in addition, has the ability to protect the body from harmful substances.
4. Ascorbic acid is a very strong antioxidant, vitamin C is excellent for enhancing the natural immunity, helps the body to fight infections.
5. B vitamins are actively involved in metabolic processes, a beneficial effect on the CNS.
6. Provitamin A contributes to the fact that the hair, skin and nails are in excellent condition.
7. Iron is necessary for a person to ensure that the body properly produced thyroid hormones. The mineral is extremely important for proper hematopoiesis in the body.
8. Magnesium is involved in the synthesis of proteins, the proper digestion of glucose, and the energy produced. The mineral is important for the nerve impulses to work properly, transmitting signals from the brain to every cell of the body.

Useful properties of watermelon seeds

General benefits.

1. Among the most useful amino acids that make up the composition of watermelon seeds, separately stand out arginine. It not only regulates blood pressure, but also normalizes the heart muscle. Regular use helps to protect the body from malignancies.
2. Tryptophan is actively involved in the metabolic processes of the body and is responsible for a stable human emotional background.
3. Lysine can regulate protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
4. The high content of B vitamins has a positive effect on the CNS.

For women

Iron, which is present in the bones, strengthens the hair, and magnesium and copper, which are included, have a favorable effect on their healthy appearance. The hair is moisturized by fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids prevent the skin from drying out, making it smooth and shiny. Antioxidants prevent skin aging and the appearance of age spots.

When watermelon seeds are consumed, the lack of protein is compensated, especially when following a vegetarian diet.

For men

It will be useful for men to know that scientists conducted a study on mice, where it was scientifically proven that watermelon seeds extract helps to reduce the prostate gland. It has also been noted that regular consumption of the seeds of this berry increases male strength and stamina.

Men do not always eat right, and if you include in their diet dried watermelon seeds, they will have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. They will be no less effective in the treatment of ulcers than medication, renewing and protecting cells.

A handful of watermelon seeds will help relieve hangover syndrome, reduce high blood pressure and bring back to life if a man abused alcohol the night before.

When pregnant

Watermelon seeds consist of 1/3 of pure protein, which is very useful during pregnancy, because the use of protein food helps to maintain the tone of muscle tissue.

100 grams of dried watermelon seeds contain up to 51% of fats, which makes the product incredibly useful during pregnancy.

The constant companion of a pregnant woman is nausea and heartburn. With the help of watermelon seeds you can get rid of this problem for quite a long time.

The combination of trace elements in the product is unique and is not repeated anywhere else in nature. Some of them can literally provide the necessary daily norm for the body of an adult and a pregnant woman as well. Moreover, the most minerals are not in the core of the seed, but in its skin, so it is recommended to roast and eat them without peeling.

Watermelon seeds help to relieve swelling, which is very useful for pregnant women. Enough 50 grams of dried grains pour boiling water and insist until the decoction becomes warm. Take 100 ml before each meal for 5 days.

When breastfeeding

Breastfeeding mother should not only eat a full meal, but also get the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients with food. Otherwise, as our grandmothers used to say, breast milk will be "empty", and the baby will not be able to gain weight. And watermelon seeds contain the maximum of these substances per 100 grams of product, so you should not bypass them.

But it is worth remembering that watermelon seeds are enough calories and can have a laxative effect on both the mother and the baby.

For children

The growing body most needs a supply of vitamins and minerals, and nutrients are needed for growth and development. That's why a child's diet should include those products that are as rich as possible of these substances. These include watermelon seeds. For a child they can be fried in a dry pan with a little salt and offer as a treat.

Watermelon seeds, as well as pumpkin seeds, have a anthelmintic effect, so you should not refuse to eat them and even more so exclude them from the child's diet. Even a small amount will bring a child's health a huge benefit.

When losing weight

But those who want to lose weight and get rid of extra pounds should take into account that both the watermelon itself and its seeds are quite caloric. Although they contain a lot of useful in their composition and would be to the point, especially on a strict diet, you should use them with caution.

To make up for the lack of vitamins and minerals, it is enough during the diet to add to meals or use as a snack no more than 1-2 full (can be with a slide) of seeds in food. This amount will be more than enough not to interfere with the effect of weight loss.

Watermelon seeds in folk medicine

Not all diseases can be treated with medicines, and then folk medicine comes to the rescue. Recipes of tinctures and decoctions, which were used even by our ancestors, work in the present time.

With watermelon and its seeds can cure many diseases and even some serious illnesses. So you should pay attention to these folk recipes, which will help in a difficult minute and help you regain health.

From worms and intestinal parasites

To prepare the broth you need 950 ml of pure water and 115 grams of watermelon seeds, which are already cleaned and dried in the oven or in a pan.

1. Grind the seeds in a mortar to a fine crumb. If you don't have a mortar, you can put the seeds in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
2. Pour the ground powder with water in a saucepan and put over a low heat. Stew for 40-45 minutes.
3. Cool the finished infusion and strain it through a fine sieve or clean gauze, folded in several layers.

Take one glass (200 ml) for 1-1.5 hours before each meal.

For a stable blood pressure

Thanks to a properly prepared tincture, you can refuse to use chemical medicines and normalize blood pressure. You can also use the remedy together with medication so that your blood pressure comes back to normal and stabilizes faster.

For preparation you will need 500 grams of dried watermelon peels and 300 grams of peeled and dried seeds.

1. Grind the components of the tincture with a food processor with knives to a fine crumb.
2. Pour everything in a saucepan with a liter of clean water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer the tincture on low for about 15 minutes.

Strain the cooled drink and take it between meals 80-100 ml.

With uterine bleeding

With the help of watermelon seeds, you can also stop a very dangerous uterine bleeding, you only need to properly prepare an infusion based on watermelon seeds.

1. Take an arbitrary amount of watermelon seeds, peel them and dry them in an oven or in a dry pan without adding oil.
2. Grind with a food processor or mincer until fine crumbs.
3. Boil milk of normal fatness and mix it in the proportion 1:10, that is 100 grams of powder for one liter of milk.

Drink milk infusion with watermelon seeds twice a day between meals.

For fever, chills, and fever

When you or your loved ones have a cold and feel sick, you can alleviate their condition by making a healthy vitamin infusion with the addition of watermelon seeds.

1. Mash the seeds with cold boiled water in a 1:10 ratio.
2. Drink 2-3 tablespoons every hour for adults and 2-3 teaspoons for children.

In children's portion of the "medicine" you can add raspberry jam, honey or fruit syrup. Suitable for sweetness and regular granulated sugar.

A diuretic

When you are suffering from edema, all the same watermelon, or rather its seeds, will come to your rescue. With their help, you can not only get rid of edema, which make our appearance unattractive, but also lose a few pounds of excess weight.

1. If you do not know what to do with the watermelon seeds, you can use them to get rid of puffiness, which makes our appearance unattractive, but also to lose a few pounds.
2. Simmer the broth for about 15-20 minutes, cool and strain through a gauze or sieve.

Before each meal 15-20 minutes before drinking a glass of cool broth, and only after a while proceed to the meal.

The Watermelon Seed Oil's Benefits

For example, during pregnancy or because of the individual characteristics of the body the use of medicines may simply be impossible. Then folk medicine comes to the rescue with its recipes that help no worse and sometimes even better than the chemical "pill". Watermelon seed oil has a lot of possibilities of use and there are practically no contraindications for its use:

1. Helps to establish proper digestion.
2. Regulates the optimal acid-alkaline balance.
3. Excellent cleanser of liver cells.
4. Copes with the formation of stones and sand in the kidneys, is an excellent preventive agent.
5. Good for wounds and scratches, burns and inflammation.

How watermelon seed oil is used

1. First of all, the aromatic essential oil on watermelon seeds is a great tool for moisturizing the skin and hair. It has a very light texture and a subtle pleasant fragrance. It is good to use the oil if you are injured or burned, its regenerative properties are excellent for healing.
2. The oil can be used to moisturize children's skin, mixing with cream and using "under the diaper". It will help prevent and treat rashes, redness and flaking. The oil can also be added to sunscreen for extra protection.
3. If you add a few drops of the oil to your face cream and face wash tonic, you have a great cosmetic to combat acne and acne.

Important: The oil should not be stored for more than 6-7 months, as all of its beneficial properties evaporate and volatilize by this time.

Harm and contraindications

The great benefits of watermelon seeds are directly related to the rich mineral composition. For example, just a handful of seeds contains 565 mg of magnesium, which is 145% of the daily requirement for an adult. Magnesium is needed to regulate blood pressure, in addition, it helps properly absorb carbohydrates in the body, to reduce and stabilize blood glucose, which is important in diabetics.

But those who have diseases of the urogenital system, do not abuse watermelon, not to mention its seeds. The seeds contain citrulline, which, entering the body, is transformed into ammonia. If a healthy person can easily eliminate it from the body, those who suffer from kidney failure, will have a very hard time.

How to store watermelon seeds

The best solution for storing raw or already dried watermelon seeds is a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. It is recommended to put it in a dark, cool place, if possible, so that the product does not lose its useful properties.

How to dry

To dry the watermelon seeds can be in the oven, for this you need to distribute a thin layer on a baking tray and hold in an oven 18-20 minutes at 160 ° C.

Tip! If necessary, you can add a little fine salt or spices to the seeds, to give them additional taste. These seeds will only be used for snacking and adding to other dishes.

Can I Eat Watermelon with Seeds

Almost every one of us, eating watermelon, tries to spit out the pesky seeds out of his mouth as soon as possible. And meanwhile, quite in vain, because there are a lot of useful things in them. Just a couple of handfuls of this product contains almost a third of the daily amount of protein that a person needs for good health and well-being.

Interesting: Eating a large handful of watermelon seeds, you can consider that you got at least a complete snack, and all thanks to the rich mineral composition, protein, carbohydrates and useful for hair and skin fats.

That is why you should not throw away such a useful and valuable product. For example, in Asian countries they learned how to make flour from these seeds and even to squeeze out fragrant oil. Although in most cases they are simply eaten, appetizingly snapping after thoroughly drying or roasting with salt. After all, their flavor is much closer to peanuts, and they are not at all like pumpkin seeds.

How to take watermelon seeds

Watermelon seeds can be used not only in cooking, but also for treatment and recovery, to use for cosmetic purposes. Most often they are simply used as a snack or salty treat between meals or made into drinks for therapeutic and preventive purposes for kidney disease, bladder disease, to normalize blood pressure and against parasites (worms).

For health purposes, watermelon seeds can be dried and added as a condiment to salads, creamy soups and morning muesli.

However, it is worth noting that the daily rate should not exceed the amount that will fit in the palm of your hand. The product is also quite caloric. Therefore, if you are on a diet, seeds can and should be included in the menu, but reducing their amount.

How to fry them properly

The easiest recipe to dry watermelon seeds is to fry them in a frying pan without adding oil. To do this, the seeds must be washed and dried on a clean kitchen towel. Then place them on a dry frying pan and fry on medium heat for about 6-7 minutes with constant stirring. Cool and transfer the product to a jar with a tight lid for making infusions and decoctions.

As a treat! Dissolve in 50 ml of boiled water and a quarter teaspoon of salt, stir thoroughly, wait until all grains have dissolved and pour the salt solution to the seeds in a pan. Increase the heat and continue to fry the seeds until all the liquid has evaporated.

Watermelon Seed Tea Recipe

From watermelon seeds you can make a very tasty and fragrant tea, which will not only energize, but also help to normalize blood pressure, cope with infections and inflammations of the urinary tract and improve kidney function.

To prepare it you will need:

• 45 grams of dried watermelon seeds;
• 950 ml of clean cold water;
• 165 grams of watermelon.

Preparation of .
First, boil water in a kettle or a pot. While the water is boiling, use a mortar and pestle to grind the previously dried grains into a fine powder. You can also use a coffee grinder or food processor. Now pour boiling water over the ground seeds, put on low heat and simmer for half an hour. Remove the finished infusion from the stove, close the lid and wrap it so that it slowly cools to room temperature.

After complete cooling, strain the decoction through a sieve and clean gauze folded in several layers. Now cut the watermelon into pieces, put it in a blender together with the broth and beat until smooth. Pour into a clean bottle with a tight lid and put it in the refrigerator.

How to drink tea from watermelon seeds

Tea should be taken heated or taken out of the fridge in advance so that it is at room temperature. The first cup should be taken warm on an empty stomach, the rest - half an hour before a meal. The course of reception is two weeks, then you need to take a one-month break.

It is very important not to add sugar to the drink. If you want to add sweetness, it is best to use high-quality honey, but no more than a teaspoon per glass of broth.

Important! Since the watermelon is a seasonal berry, and the seeds can be harvested in large quantities for the whole year, the pulp itself for making such a drink can easily be frozen in special bags.

It is very important to remember and not to exceed the specified amount of seeds for preparing an infusion, carefully monitoring the state of your health.

How to prepare a decoction

Take about 150-200 grams of watermelon seeds, which have already dried, for 1 liter of water. Grind the seeds in a mortar, pour water on a fire for about 30-40 minutes. Then strain the decoction through clean gauze.

Can we give hamsters and chickens watermelon seeds

Yes, watermelon seeds can be given to chickens and hamsters, for the latter this product will be considered a great delicacy and will pleasantly diversify their diet.

However, veterinarians advise to add watermelon seeds to the diet of animals in small quantities, otherwise they will lose their nutritional value.

Interesting facts about watermelon

During the season, it is simply impossible to refuse to buy ripe and juicy watermelon - after all, we want to enjoy the sweet fruit while there is such an opportunity. But what do we know about this "berry"?

1. You can eat the whole watermelon. As for the pulp, there is nothing to talk about, in a cool form it is loved by everyone. If you want, you can make jam from the crusts or very tasty candied fruits, which can be later used for snacks or homemade cakes. Well, the dried seeds can be a complete snack and used to make healing decoctions.
2. The berry contains up to 92% water and the remaining 8% is fiber.
3. Watermelons without seeds - yes, yes, we should not be surprised there are such fruits. Of course, they are genetically-modified, but they are absolutely safe for humans. You can also give them to animals, such as hamsters.
4. Due to the lycopene content, watermelon effectively fights the formation of malignant tumors, protecting the body from negative effects.
5. In the south of Russia, where grows a lot of watermelons, residents have learned to make honey from the berry. For this purpose, the seedless watermelon juice is steamed to a thick state, cooled and put away for storage.
6. Is watermelon a vegetable, a fruit or a berry? In fact, it is still more of a vegetable, since it belongs to the gourd family of crops. So it is more logical to think of it as a large and juicy pumpkin.
7. The average weight of a ripe, sweet and juicy watermelon ranges from 5 to 10 kilograms. And it's not the fact that the bigger the fruit, the sweeter and tastier it is. It all depends on how ripe the fruit is.
8. Watermelon can be more than just sliced and diced. It is added to summer refreshing salads, juices, smoothies and even summer fruit soups prepared on the basis of the pulp whipped in a blender. Watermelon can even be salted or marinated with spices and seasonings - you get a very tasty and spicy preparation for meat dishes.

Photo of watermelon seeds