Now, it might seem like just good sense to throw away your watermelon rinds, but hold
your horses — because you might well be tossing out one of the best parts of this
popular, juicy fruit. Like many other fruits and vegetables, the rinds, stems, or peel
are often home to a lot of the produce's most important nutrients. And contrary to popular
belief, the part of a food you usually throw in the trash bin can often be pretty flavorful,
too.
Everyone knows that the addictively-sweet, pink flesh of a watermelon is loaded with
flavor — and can be enjoyed in countless ways — but you're actually missing out if
you don't also eat the white flesh that's layered next to the green skin.
"This is the skin. The skin, you're gonna avoid. But this white rind is absolutely delicious."
So just why is watermelon rind so useful? Well, it's commonly known that watermelon
is great for hydration, since it is 90 percent water — which also makes it low in calories,
too. Each cup of watermelon flesh contains around 49 calories. Considering how much fiber
it contains too, this means that the fruit is a great snack for anyone feeling bloated
or trying to lose weight. But if you are enjoying a melon-heavy diet in an attempt to trim your
waistline or help with digestion, you'll want to take note of the many health benefits found
in watermelon rind.
Chief among these are the fact that it's seriously good for your heart health. Studies have shown
that consuming watermelon, rind and all, can help reduce blood pressure. The fruit is also
a diuretic, which is recommended for those who suffer from high blood pressure. Another
bonus to chowing down on rind is that you're getting tons of added fiber, which aids in
digestion. Diets high in fiber keep you regular, and help to lower blood sugar, fill you up,
and reduce the risk of developing diseases of the colon.
On top of those particular benefits, the white part of the rind can also do wonders for your
physical performance. From sports to the bedroom, watermelon rinds have been said to give a
boost to the people who consume it — so much so, in fact, that it's even sometimes
known as nature's Viagra.
"Oh behave… Yeah."
The way watermelon and its rind boosts performance is all about availability of amino acid. This
helps muscles gain access to oxygen, which enables faster recovery and prevents sore
muscles.
Of course, health benefits are all well and good — but they're not much use if you don't
want to eat something in the first place. Luckily, if the idea of munching further into
the rind of a slice of watermelon just doesn't sound appetizing to you, you needn't worry.
There are a surprising number of ways you can make it more than edible. In fact, prepared
correctly, watermelon rinds can actually be quite tasty.
For one, you could blend them up with lime and some mint for a refreshing drink. Alternatively,
some people might pickle whole slices of watermelon, while other recipes call for pickling nothing
more than the rind itself. Adding a few maraschino cherries to the process helps sweeten it up
too. It's an old-fashioned take on the fruit, but one that has proved highly popular in
the past.
Other recipes for pickled watermelon rinds can be more spicy than sweet. For example,
cooking magazine Taste of Home suggests using cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns to give
the pickled rinds a nice kick. If you only like the idea of a sweeter pickled watermelon
rind, however, then you might want to consider making watermelon rind preserves, which might
be a bit more appealing if you've never had pickled watermelon before.
Finally, watermelon rind can be used as a vegetable in of itself, after it has been
cut up. This means you can add it to stir-fries or even kimchi - if you're the adventurous
type, that is. Honestly, the sky's the limit, and these recipes only really have one thing
in common: they're bound to give your body a boost like no other.
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