Is Watermelon Keto-Friendly? 5 Benefits, Nutrition, Risks

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One cup of diced watermelon, weighing 152 grams, has about 11.5 grams of carbohydrates and 0.5 grams of fiber.

Watermelon contains only 7.5 carbs for every 100 grams and is, therefore, keto-friendly if eaten in small amounts.

• A standard ketogenic diet allows exactly 0 to 30 grams of net carbohydrates per day and about 0 to 10 grams of net carbs per serving.
• Watermelon contains both micro and macronutrients and is high in water content, so it keeps you hydrated while delivering essential nutrients.

If you do not keep track of how much watermelon you eat each day, you will easily add up the carbohydrates. If you would like to include watermelon, you must make sure that you do not include other carbohydrates to maintain the desired net carbohydrates per day.

Why is watermelon considered fit in the keto diet?

One cup of diced watermelon, weighing 152 grams, has about 11.5 grams of carbohydrates and 0.5 grams of fiber.

Some keto diet regimens propose limiting your carb consumption to less than 50 grams per day. You will need to check the carb content of everything you eat. So, if you cannot fit 11.5 grams of carbs from watermelon in your diet for the day, save them for another day.

Depending on how you divide your daily carbohydrates, watermelon can fit into a ketogenic diet. It may account for more than half of your daily carbohydrate allowance, but it does not have to be avoided. Generally, watermelon has fewer carbs than other fruits, such as bananas and apples. Berries are another low-carbohydrate fruit option, with all of them containing nine grams or fewer of net carbohydrates in one cup serving.

• Watermelon has a glycemic index (GI) of 72, which is considered high and can spike blood glucose levels. However, its glycemic load (GL) is suitable for keto diets.
  • (The GL score is a measurement of the number of carbohydrates released into your circulation.)
• Watermelon has a GL of seven. In this sense, anything less than 10 is considered healthy.
• So, while the carbohydrates in watermelon are quickly released, there are not many in the bloodstream.

The nutritional content of watermelon

Nutrient Amount Calories

49

Carbohydrates

11 grams, 4 percent of DV

Fiber

0.61 grams, 2 percent of DV

Protein

0.9 grams, 2 percent of DV

Vitamin A

5 percent of DV

Vitamin C

14 percent of DV

Vitamin B6

4 percent of DV

Folate

1 percent of DV

Potassium

4 percent of DV

Copper

7 percent of DV

Manganese

3 percent of DV

Phosphorus

1 percent of DV

Magnesium

4 percent of DV

Additionally, watermelon also contains the following minerals:

• Iron
• Calcium
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Lycopene

QUESTION

Weight loss occurs in the belly before anywhere else.
See Answer

5 health benefits of watermelon

Watermelon does more than simply fulfill your sweet appetite on the keto diet.

1. Keeps you hydrated: Watermelon constitutes 92 percent of water. Eating watermelon can compensate for the electrolyte loss that comes with dropping water weight.
2. Promotes weight loss goals: Watermelon can help lose weight due to its high-water content and low-calorie count. Watermelon is high in the amino acid arginine, which has been shown in tests to aid in the burning of fat cells and the reduction of obesity.
3. Reduces inflammation: Watermelon helps defend against illness by reducing chronic inflammation in the body. Uncontrolled inflammation has been related to the development of numerous forms of inflammatory illness, therefore you must incorporate a range of anti-inflammatory foods into the diet.
4. Protects cells and prevents diseases: Watermelon is high in disease-fighting antioxidants, which assist to protect your DNA cells from the destructive effects of free radicals. Lycopene, one of the key antioxidants, contained in watermelon, has been shown in studies to help protect against illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.
5. Reduces blood pressure: Watermelon has been proven to lower blood pressure, particularly in the elderly and those with early-onset hypertension. Researchers believe that two antioxidants in watermelon, L-citrulline, and L-arginine, induce the arteries to widen, lowering blood pressure.

What are the potential risks of watermelon?

Watermelon has a lot of sugar, and excess sugar consumption could be harmful to your health. According to research, a high sugar diet causes cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes. Furthermore, watermelon is high in fructose, a type of sugar.

Studies show that excessive fructose consumption causes various negative health effects, such as:

• Increases fat buildup in the liver
• Causes dyslipidemia (imbalance of various lipid concentrations)
• Lowers insulin sensitivity
• Raises uric acid levels

Furthermore, watermelon is not among the top high fiber and low carbohydrate fruits. It can induce constipation on a keto diet because it is low in dietary fiber. Rarely, it can even cause changes in the urine color.