Watermelon rind has received its first official nutrition profile in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) FoodData Central database, making it easier for dietitians, researchers, and recipe developers to accurately assess its nutritional value and incorporate it into healthy eating, according to Medical Xpress.
According to the newly released USDA data, a 50-gram serving of raw, diced watermelon rind contains:
10 calories
About 1 gram of dietary fiber
140 mg of potassium
4 mg of vitamin C
Nutrition experts emphasize that while the rind does not replace the nutrient-rich flesh of the watermelon, it can be a valuable addition to the diet while also helping reduce food waste.
Watermelon rind can be blended into smoothies and juices, added to salads, pickled, or cooked with other vegetables in a variety of dishes.
According to representatives of the National Watermelon Promotion Board, the new USDA nutrition data will give nutrition professionals greater confidence in recommending watermelon rind and incorporating it into recipes, encouraging the use of more parts of the fruit.
Previous studies have already linked watermelon consumption to higher overall diet quality. An analysis of data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that people who regularly eat watermelon generally consume more dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A and C, lycopene, and other carotenoids than those who do not.
However, researchers caution that additional studies are needed to determine whether these findings apply consistently across different populations.
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