Is Watermelon Good for You?

“As with all fruits and vegetables, watermelon is very nutritious, and it’s quite delicious,” says Lisa Sasson, MS, RD, clinical professor of nutrition at New York University. “As its name implies, it’s mostly water [92 percent] and is a great way to hydrate yourself in the warmer weather.” You can even use it as a post-workout snack to replenish fluids lost during exercise, she says.

Watermelon seeds and rind are typically discarded, but they’re edible and highly nutritious. Using them cuts down on food waste and is good for the environment.

Like other seeds, watermelon seeds are rich in healthy fats and protein, plus they’re a decent source of iron, magnesium, and zinc. You may have a hard time finding a seeded watermelon, though, because 90 percent of what’s grown in the U.S. these days is seedless.

The seeds’ flavor is reminiscent of sunflower seeds, but a little less nutty. Watermelon rind tastes a little like cucumber (watermelon and cucumber are from the same botanical family) and is crunchy like jicama. It’s even higher in citrulline than the flesh, plus it provides about 14 grams of fiber per ounce.

Watermelons ripen only slightly after harvest, so you want to make sure the one you buy at the store or farm stand is ready to eat. You could use the thump test—knock on the melon and listen for a dull, hollow, muffled sound. But a better, and more reliable, approach is to look for a watermelon that’s heavy for its size, has a smooth surface, a slightly dull rind, filled in and rounded ends, and a yellow or creamy yellow underside.

Whole melons will keep seven to 10 days unrefrigerated. That timing accounts for harvesting and shipping to the grocery store; a locally-grown melon may last longer. Cut melon should be refrigerated and eaten in three to four days.

From a food safety perspective, buying a whole melon is better than buying a container of precut watermelon. It may be a time-saver, but precut melon (not just watermelon, but other melons as well) have been linked to several foodborne illness outbreaks. In commercial facilities, many fruits and vegetables are processed in one place, creating opportunities for cross-contamination.

When you buy a whole watermelon, wash it before slicing into it, because the outside can be contaminated with harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, Sasson says. If bacteria is present, the knife can carry it from the rind to the flesh as you slice. Always be sure to use a clean knife so that you don’t inadvertently transfer bacteria from other foods to the melon.

Eat watermelon fresh off the rind, mix it into a cold tomato-watermelon gazpacho, or crush it into juice. You can freeze watermelon chunks or crushed watermelon to make ice cubes to use in drinks or smoothies, or partly freeze it to make a cool, refreshing, slushy treat.

You can also spice it up with salt, pepper, lime, or chili as a snack or to add to a salad. Try combining watermelon with peaches, mint, a little feta cheese, and farro for a summery whole-grain dish. Or, leaving the rind on, grill wedges (about 2 minutes per side) to caramelize the fruit’s sugars, and serve plain or with a sauce made from honey, garlic, and chili oil or chili crisp.

Toast watermelon seeds and add to salads or in place of pumpkin or sunflower seeds in recipes. The rind can be used in a variety of ways (cut the green parts off before cooking). Recipes from the Watermelon Board suggest grating it and using it in place of cabbage in a coleslaw, roasting it and topping with Parmesan, or slicing and including it in a stir-fry to add some crunch.