Eating watermelon is actually good for weight loss, as it reduces appetite and helps the body burn more fat. A cup of watermelon has only 45 calories. Also, it’s low in sugars.
Watermelon has a few calories!
Above all, watermelon is good for weight loss because it has a few calories. Watermelon has 30 calories per 100g. A serving has only 45 calories.[1]
An 1-inch thick wedge of sliced watermelon has about 90 calories. It’s equivalent to two servings.
A cup has about 11 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein. Watermelon is mainly sugars.
You could also eat watermelon seeds. They 100% edible. Moreover, watermelon seeds control postprandial glucose responses due to their high fiber content. Also, they’re packed with minerals and healthy fats.
Watermelon helps you lose weight as it hydrates you
A cup of watermelon hydrates the body. It provides 140 mL of water! Watermelon is 92% water.
We should drink adequate amounts of water if we want to lose weight. Actually, water fills our stomach, reducing hunger.
Most noteworthy, water is crucial for lipolysis. In other words, water is necessary for the body to burn fat for energy![2]
We should drink at least 64 oz of water a day while dieting
Furthermore, watermelon hydrates us better than tap water, as it’s rich in electrolytes. Replenishing electrolytes is key for weight loss and good health. Electrolytes are involved in many key functions of the body.
Last, but not least, watermelon provides high-quality, purified water. Fruits are natural water filters.
It’s important to consume lots of summer fruits and vegetables high in water, such as tomatoes and cucumbers!
Lycopene in watermelon supports weight loss!
Watermelon can help you lose weight for another reason. It’s particularly rich in lycopene.
Lycopene is an antioxidant which can help us burn body fat. High lycopene intake has been associated with reduced waist circumference.
Also, it neutralizes obesity-associated disorders, and regulates cholesterol levels.[3,4]
A cup of watermelon has 6.9 mg of lycopene. There hasn’t been established a recommended daily intake for lycopene. However, most studies have reported great health benefits from a daily intake of 15-30 mg of lycopene.
In 2005, the average daily intake of lycopene in the United States was between 5.7 and 10.5 mg.[5]
You can skyrocket your daily lycopene intake by consuming watermelon. It’s one of the richest foods in lycopene.
The main dietary sources of lycopene are tomato products, though.
When should I eat watermelon for weight loss?
The best time to eat watermelon for weight loss is before a calorie-dense meal. Water and fiber in watermelon regulate appetite with only a few calories. Thus, it can control total energy intake!
Can watermelon make you fat?
The main type of sugar in watermelon is fructose. Fructose doesn’t spike blood sugar levels as compared to glucose. It has to be metabolized by the liver first. Moreover, watermelon is mainly water.
For these reasons, watermelon has a pretty low glycemic load of 4! Foods with a glycemic load lower than 10 are actually beneficial for weight loss. Among other benefits, they reduce hunger.[6,7]
Is watermelon Keto friendly?
Consider, eating only 1/2 cup of watermelon if you follow a ketogenic diet while trying to lose weight. Most ketogenic diets limit net carbs to 50 grams a day. A half cup of watermelon has only 6 grams of carbs.
