Watermelon Seeds - Magnesium Bombs

Author: Joe Fowler Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

In this article, learn more about Watermelon Seeds - Magnesium Bombs. How to roast watermelon seeds and how they are useful?.

When talking about the health benefits of watermelon, it is very rarely mentioned about its seeds. Although not as attractive as the fresh, sweet and juicy flesh of the fruit, well-roasted seeds are a healthy and dietary food that is not worth throwing away.

Among their most useful properties is that they have a high concentration of protein - a cup of dried and baked seeds, about 120 g, contains 30 grams of protein, which is about 61% of the Indicative Daily Intake (RDA). The proteins in them are made up of several different amino acids, but the highest concentration is arginine.

Although the human body is able to synthesize enough arginine for its needs, there are certain moments associated with heat exhaustion, dehydration and antibiotics, in which increased intake of arginine is beneficial. Arginine also promotes normal blood pressure, which is useful for the control and prevention of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Tryptophan, lysine and glutamic acid are among the other important amino acids in seeds.

Watermelon seeds are also rich in vitamins - primarily vitamin . This group of vitamins has a number of health benefits, but the amount that can give the seeds can contribute mainly to good digestion and adequate energy recovery from ingested foods. Of the B-family, niacin has the highest concentration - about 4 g per cup, which is 20% of ODP. Foliate, riboflavin, vitamin B 6 and B 5 are available in lower concentrations from the same family .

The mineral content of the seeds is also enviably good. The magnesium in a cup of roasted seeds is about 550 mg or 139% of the ODP, from a source that is available at least in summer and autumn and preferably before vitamin and nutritional supplements with magnesium. This mineral is important for the regulation of blood pressure and carbohydrate metabolism, having a direct and beneficial effect on blood sugar. In addition to magnesium, the seeds also contain phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese and zinc.

The fat content is surprising - for the above amount there are about 45-50 g of fat, and only 10-15 g of them are saturated. The rest is made up mainly of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are useful for optimal cholesterol levels, as well as omega-6 fatty acids, which help lower high blood pressure.

Roasting the seeds is easy: after being separated from the fruit tissue, they are washed thoroughly with cold water and left to dry. It is important that they are well dried. Then pour into a pan or saucepan and bake on high heat for about 5-7 minutes, until browned. Then, pour on them a pre-prepared solution: a teaspoon of salt per quarter cup of water (the volume of the solution depends on the amount of seeds). After adding the solution, it is important to stir often, as the seeds at the bottom can burn, giving a bad odor to the rest. Bake until the solution has completely evaporated, then allow to cool before being ready to serve.

There are different ways to bake them, as well as other processing. In China and some countries in Africa, roasted watermelon seeds are as popular as sunflower seeds in our country. They are also used to make butter used for cooking, as well as flour for baking.

Their raw ingestion is not dangerous to health, as the popular misconception says, but it does not bring significant health benefits, because their shell makes them extremely difficult to digest.

Watermelon Seeds - Magnesium Bombs

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