Many people appreciate watermelon juice when it is dripping down their face while eating a watermelon slice at a barbecue, but this juice can also stand alone as a healthy and nutrient-dense addition to your diet.
What is Watermelon Juice?
Watermelon juice, as the name implies, is the juice that is removed from the watermelon fruit – a member of the melon family that bears the scientific name Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus that grows on a creeping vine. This juice is very sweet and can be prepared in a number of different ways, depending on the other ingredients you may add to alter the flavor. Watermelon juice has a number of impressive nutrients and can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet. [1]
Ditch the alcohol, cheer with watermelon juice. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Serving Size : Nutrient Value Total lipid (fat) [g] 0.15 Carbohydrate, by difference [g] 7.55 Energy 30 Water [g] 91.45 Sugars, total including NLEA [g] 6.2 Fiber, total dietary [g] 0.4 Calcium, Ca [mg] 7 Iron, Fe [mg] 0.24 Magnesium, Mg [mg] 10 Phosphorus, P [mg] 11 Potassium, K [mg] 112 Sodium, Na [mg] 1 Zinc, Zn [mg] 0.1 Copper, Cu [mg] 0.04 Selenium, Se [µg] 0.4 Vitamin A, RAE [µg] 28 Carotene, beta [µg] 303 Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) [mg] 0.05 Cryptoxanthin, beta [µg] 78 Lycopene [µg] 4532 Lutein + zeaxanthin [µg] 8 Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid [mg] 8.1 Thiamin [mg] 0.03 Riboflavin [mg] 0.02 Niacin [mg] 0.18 Vitamin B-6 [mg] 0.05 Folate, total [µg] 3 Choline, total [mg] 4.1 Vitamin K (phylloquinone) [µg] 0.1 Folate, food [µg] 3 Folate, DFE [µg] 3 Fatty acids, total saturated [g] 0.02 10:0 [g] 0 12:0 [g] 0 16:0 [g] 0.01 18:0 [g] 0.01 18:1 [g] 0.04 18:2 [g] 0.05 Fatty acids, total monounsaturated [g] 0.04 Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated [g] 0.05 Sources include : USDA [2]
Watermelon Juice Nutrition
Watermelon juice has a surprisingly dense nutrient profile; a single cup offers high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A, roughly 30% and 25% of your daily requirement for these nutrients, respectively. The juice also boasts more moderate amounts of potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, iron and 1.5 grams of protein. More importantly, there are only 70 calories in a cup of this juice, but it is also packed with antioxidants and active ingredients, such as lycopene, beta-carotene, amino acids, and flavonoids. [3]
Watermelon Juice Health Benefits
Watermelon juice helps prevent cancer, reduce inflammation, and aid weight loss. Other health benefits of watermelon juice include its ability to beautify the skin, optimize kidney health, improve digestive processes, and boost vision, among others.
Skin Care
With anti-aging properties of lycopene and certain carotenoids, this juice can help relieve oxidative stress and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, blemishes, and other age spots. [4]
Weight Loss
This low-calorie and low-fat drink can still fill you up while providing metabolism-boosting compounds and other healthy antioxidants that can increase your fat-burning potential and aid in shedding those excess pounds. [5]
Reduces Inflammation
Research has directly linked the active ingredients in watermelon juice to working against inflammatory compounds, called triterpenoids. The beta-carotene and lycopene found in such high levels in this juice are to thank for its effects on arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. [6]
Detoxifies the Body
This sweet juice is known to help detoxify the body by kickstarting the kidneys into high gear and reduce the level of ammonia and uric acid in the body, which can help to prevent kidney stones. [7]
Improves Vision
Lycopene is found at very high levels in this juice, and this antioxidant is well known to lower oxidative stress in the eyes, helping to prevent macular degeneration and slow the onset of cataracts. [8]
Anticancer Potential
Numerous research studies have been conducted to find the anticancer effects of watermelon. One 2014 study shows that the lycopene content in watermelon is the star nutrient that helps to protect you from DNA damage. It also suggests that lycopene from watermelon as well as watermelon juice has antiproliferative properties, which help in lowering the rate of cancer prevalence. [9] [10]
Watermelon Juice Side Effects
While there are clearly many benefits, drinking an excess of watermelon juice can also pose certain risks, including cardiovascular complications and allergic reactions, among others.
- Heart Issues: With high levels of potassium, there are some reports that an excessive amount of watermelon juice can cause irregular heartbeat, as well as a rapid drop in blood pressure.
- Allergies: Some people do have allergic reactions to watermelon, although these are quite rare, and usually manifest as gastrointestinal distress, nausea or vomiting. Always drink this juice in moderation, regardless of your allergy status.
