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Watermelon is a delicious and thirst-quenching fruit. But there’s more to it. Although watermelon composition is mostly water, studies1 found it has many health benefits. The nutrient not only comes from the red fleshy part but including the watermelon rind or peel.
The watermelon fruit is popularly known for its Viagra-like effect. Hence, many call it as nature’s Viagra.
Instead of focusing on the health benefits of red fleshy part of the fruit, which most people consumed, we shift our attention to its rind. The rind is not really the peel of the watermelon. It is the part of watermelon between the green peel and the red fleshy part.
Studies Backing Watermelon Rind
If you search the internet on watermelon rind health benefits, you’ll find a lot of them. One study2 finds that watermelon rind is a good source of dietary fiber and phenolic compounds. These compounds are antioxidants and believed to have a potential for cancer prevention3.
Another study4 finds that watermelon rind has high concentration of citrulline, which is valuable for men with erectile dysfunction.
In fact, citrulline or L-Citrulline is available in supplement form and good for men with erectile problems. In the study, the researchers concluded that watermelon rind is underutilized and mostly end as agricultural waste. Yet is a good source of natural citrulline.
Watermelon Rind Health Benefits
There are four known health benefits from watermelon rind consumption. Of course, there are far more benefits, but we’ll just mention four.
Unlike a targeted pharmaceutical drug, naturally occurring nutrients in watermelon rind have a wide range of beneficial coverage. It’s not just about sexual health, but overall health, generally.
6. 1. Boost Your Sex Drive
Watermelon has been known for its Viagra-like effect especially the rind. There are studies showing that nutrients found in watermelon rind are beneficial on men with mild erectile dysfunction.
The primary driver for its sexual enhancing property comes from citrulline. This amino acid is more concentrated in the rind compared to its presence in the red fleshy part.
