The health benefits of watermelon seeds will surprise you

Watermelon seeds are a rich source of nutrients and minerals and therefore, should not be discarded. These seeds have a hard outer covering so they should be chewed before swallowing to get their nutritional content.
Some of the health benefits of watermelon seeds are given below.

Your body requires amino acids but there are some essential amino acids such as arginine and lysine which the body cannot produce on its own and these have to be provided from food sources. Watermelon seeds contain some of these essential amino acids such as tryptophan and glutamic acids. Lysine helps in calcium absorption to facilitate the formation of collagen and connective tissues in the body whereas arginine improves the body’s metabolism, cardiovascular system and sexual health.

Watermelon seeds are good sources of magnesium with 100 grammes of seeds providing 139 percent of the recommended daily requirement. Magnesium is vital for normal heart functioning, maintenance of normal blood pressure, supporting metabolic process and protein synthesis. It is also beneficial in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension besides controlling blood pressure and diabetes.

Watermelon seeds contain lycopene which is good for your face and also helps in improving male fertility.

These seeds are excellent sources of multivitamin B and can replace some of the supplements. Vitamin B present in watermelon seeds comprises of niacin, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid. B vitamins are vital for maintaining healthy blood, nervous system and effective immune response.

These seeds can be used for treating diabetes. Boil a handful of watermelon seeds in 1 litre water for 45 minutes, keeping the pot covered. This concoction should be taken every day like tea.

Watermelon seeds are effective in recovering health after illness and sharpening your memory.

Almost half of the watermelon seed contains oil which comprises of 20 percent saturated fat and the rest monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat including omega-6 fatty acids. One cup of dried watermelon seeds contains around 50 grammes of fat which constitutes about 80 percent of the daily recommended value. Thus, watermelon seeds are an important source of calories and energy.