Watermelon Seeds Effects

First cultivated in Egypt, the watermelon (Citrullus lanatus,) is a nutritious food that contains brown, green, white, black or yellow seeds. The seeds of the watermelon are also edible, and in certain parts of the world, are considered a snack and, like the watermelon, are used in alternative medicine.

Composition

• Watermelon seeds are composed of approximately 50 percent oil, 35 percent protein and 5 percent fiber. Watermelon seeds are nutritious. One oz. of dried seed kernels contains 8 grams of protein, 20 percent of the daily requirement of fat, 11 percent of the daily requirement of iron and 2 percent of the daily requirement of calcium.

Considerations

• The nutritional effects of watermelon seeds are only obtained by chewing them. If they are not chewed, watermelon seeds are more likely to just pass through the digestive tract.

Medicine

• In alternative medicine watermelon seeds are believed to have diuretic and antioxidant effects, making them useful for flushing out fluids and for general health.

Oil

• Watermelon seed oil (obtained through cold-expeller pressing) has an emollient, moisturizing and quick-absorbing effect, and is used in personal care products and as a substitute for mineral oil. Watermelon seed oil contains oleic and linoleic acids.

Cosmetics

• Due to these moisturizing effects, watermelon seed oil is used in cosmetics and baby care products and, as stated, can be used as a substitute for mineral oil.