Is Watermelon Keto-friendly?
In the summer, You will hear this advice a lot : Eat fruits high in water content to beat the summer heat.
You eat watermelon as a result. Watermelon, which is naturally high in nutrients and water content, can quench your thirst and keep your body hydrated.
But, if you are someone on keto diet, You might have this question on your mind: Is watermelon good for weight loss?
To help you stay healthy, we tapped into our search power and came up with surprising findings. Let’s start with watermelon carbs.
How Many Carbs In Watermelon?
Most fruits are high in carbohydrates. As a result, people on a diet, particularly the keto diet, can consume moderate to small amounts of fruits in general.
Watermelon, on the other hand, is substantial. Watermelon is low in carbs when compared to other fruits and can be consumed in limited quantities.
Before we get into the number of carbs in watermelon, it’s important to understand net carbs.
The number of carbs found in a portion of food that are broken down into individual sugar units and absorbed by the body is referred to as net carbs. Simple carbs and complex carbs are the two types.
Simple carbs include fruits and vegetables, because they contain fewer sugar units. Furthermore, complex carbohydrates such as grains and starchy vegetables contain a lot of sugar units.
The information by Department of Agriculture serves as a reminder to those following a keto diet. Keto dieters should remember that 1 cup of diced watermelon contains approximately 11 grams of net carbohydrates.
A person on a keto diet who consumes 2000 calories per day will consume only 20-50g of carbohydrates per day.
For example, if you aim to consume 50 grams of carbs per day, one cup of diced watermelon provides 23.2% of their daily carb limit. (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-watermelon-keto)
How Many Calories Are In Watermelon?
The answer to the question, How many calories does watermelon have? is entirely dependent on serving size and portion size.The number of calories in various portions of watermelon are listed below.
- 1 kg watermelon – 300 calories
- 100g watermelon – 30 calories
- 1 cup diced watermelon – 46 calories
- 1 cup balls watermelon – 46 calories
- Half watermelon 500g – 150 calories
- 1 watermelon wedge (1/16th of melon) – 86 calories
- 1 cup pure watermelon juice 100ml – 30 calories
Again, if you’re on a keto diet during the summer and want to quench your thirst while also meeting your daily calorie requirements.
Your next thought might be, “How many calories are in a whole watermelon?”
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Data Central estimates that a whole watermelon with dimensions of 15 inches long by 7.5 inches in diameter has 1,360 calories. (https://www.vinmec.com)
As a result, if you’re supposed to consume 2000 calories per day on keto, eating a whole watermelon will provide nearly 70% of your daily calorie limit. You only need to worry about the remaining 30%.
Is Watermelon Good For Weight Loss?
Yes. It is.
The research article titled, “Increased Hydration Can Be Associated with Weight Loss” Published by Frontiers in Nutrition showed that, Watermelon’s high water content keeps you hydrated and fuller for longer. Therefore, eating watermelon will reduce your cravings and force you to eat in smaller portions. As a result, lipolysis increased.(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/)
In fact, Watermelon is a low calorie fruit that helps with weight loss. However, you should eat them judiciously to get the calories required for your body.
Health Benefits Of Watermelon On Keto
As you may already be aware, watermelon is a fruit that is extremely high in water, as 92% of its weight is made up of water.
There are other health advantages to eating watermelon while on the keto diet.
- The amount of carbs released into your blood is measured by the glycemic load, often known as the GL score. Watermelon’s GL score of 7 makes it suitable for keto diets because anything with a score under 10 is regarded as healthy. (https://www.ketoconnect.net/is-watermelon-keto/)
- According to “The Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on Exercise Metabolism and Physical Performance in Off-Road Cyclists” published in the journal, nutrients The ketogenic diet is known to cause dehydration, partially because of the increased urine production resulting from high ketone levels. Therefore, eating watermelon on keto keeps the body hydrated. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113752/)
- Watermelon seeds contain zinc, a nutrient necessary for proper immune function, testosterone production, and other functions. As a result, you can eat an ounce of watermelon seeds along with your watermelon. An ounce contains 26% of your daily zinc requirement. Additionally, You can also buy a packet of organic watermelon seeds and roast them.
(https://www.ketoconnect.net/is-watermelon-keto/)
- Watermelon is high in electrolytes and amino acids like citrulline, which help you recover quickly from keto flu and muscle soreness post workout.
(https://www.ketoconnect.net/is-watermelon-keto/)
Other Health Benefits Of Watermelon
- Healthy skin – Being enriched with vitamin C, watermelon will improve the collagen production thus, resulting in a healthier looking skin, blood vessels and healthy tissues. Furthermore, Vitamin A is beneficial to eye health.
- Prevents heart diseases – Lycopene, an antioxidant present in watermelon, may reduce inflammation in connection to good cholesterol.
- Low blood pressure – Watermelons consist of antioxidants such as L-citrulline and L-arginine, which helps to improve the function of the arteries.
Risks Of Consuming Watermelon
- Eating a lot of watermelon per day can result in stomach troubles such as nausea, diarrhea and indigestion.
- People with high potassium levels in their bodies or those suffering from severe hyperkalemia should limit their watermelon consumption to one cup per day.
- Drinking or eating too much watermelon causes overhydration. Consequently, the body loses salt, which can lead to swelling in the legs, tiredness, and in severe cases, weak kidneys.
Important Note
All of the information provided above is based on research and is provided solely to inform you. Please do not engage on any diet without first consulting a nutritionist or a dietician.
Final Take Away
Watermelon, which is naturally high in water and low in carbs, can be suitable for a ketogenic diet. However, staying within your daily carb limit may necessitate careful planning and smaller portion sizes.
As a result, depending on other foods consumed during the day and the daily carbohydrate goal, a person can consume watermelon and other fruits and yet be in a state of ketosis.
How Can We Help ?
Are you on a keto diet and worried about how much watermelon you can eat?
Or
Do you want to start a diet, but have no idea about your daily carb limit?
If this is the case, we’re at your service.
Our licensed Health and Wellness Coaches work with you to define your goals and create a manageable, realistic and effective action plan.
Best of all, you can meet your Healthvio coach from the comfort of your home via smartphone.
It’s as easy as booking your first session with Healthvio today.