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Watermelon is predominantly made up of water (92 percent), while the rest is mostly carbohydrates (7 percent).

There are around 20g of net carbohydrates in an NLEA serving of watermelon (280g), which is approximately one slice.

Watermelon is a strong supply of antioxidant vitamins and a minor source of health-promoting proteins, in addition to water and carbohydrates. Watermelon is also a rich source of potent antioxidants and offers nutrients at modest levels.

Is watermelon, however, appropriate for a ketogenic diet? Continue reading to learn more about watermelon nutrition and to find out.

What Is the Carbohydrate Content of Watermelon?

Given its small serving size, watermelon is a good source of carbs. One wedge of watermelon, weighing around 300g, is considered a normal serving (10 oz.) This serving size has around 20g of net carbs*. Watermelon carbohydrates are listed below in various serving sizes:

• 100g watermelon = 7g net carbohydrates

• 11g net carbohydrates in 1 cup diced watermelon (152g)

• 323g net carbohydrates in 1 full watermelon (4,500g)

• 9g net carbohydrates Equals 10 watermelon balls (122g)

Watermelon, as you might expect, is a high-carb fruit, at least when it comes to keto. To be keto-friendly, food should have between 5 and 10 grams of net carbohydrates per serving. Cucumbers, for example, have only 3.1g of net carbohydrates per 100g.

Another issue with watermelon is the carbohydrate content. The carbs in watermelon, like most fruits, are largely in the form of simple sugars. Fructose is the most common simple sugar in watermelon, followed by glucose and sucrose. To varying degrees, all three sugars elevate blood glucose levels.

Note: Net carbs refers to total carbohydrates in grams minus fiber. In keto, this measurement is used to see if a portion of food would affect ketosis.

How many calories does a watermelon contain?

Watermelon is a calorie-reduced fruit. One wedge has approximately 85 calories, or 4% of the normal daily calorie requirement. However, from a keto perspective, these calories will be excessive.

Carbohydrates should account for only 5-10% of your daily calories on a keto diet. This equates to 100 to 200 calories or 20-50 grams of carbohydrates each day. You'll be very close to your daily carb limit if you get 85 percent of your total daily calories from a single serving of watermelon, and you won't have much room for other meals.

Watermelon and many other fruits are not suggested on a keto diet for this reason. The majority of the calories in these foods come from carbohydrates. You should eat either low-carb fruits and veggies or high-fat foods if you're on the keto diet.

Watermelon's nutritional value

According to Dr. Fuhrman's ANDI scores, watermelon is a moderately nutrient-dense diet. Watermelon contains more than 30% of the daily value for vitamins C and A. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, and some forms of vitamin A found in watermelon are also antioxidants. Antioxidant vitamins have been shown to help prevent oxidative stress.

Apart from vitamin C and A, watermelon does
not contain many additional nutrients. Watermelon provides less than 10% of the daily value of B vitamins, vitamin E, and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper in a single serving. Watermelon is also a poor source of fiber, with only 4% of the daily value per normal serving.

Watermelon also offers 3% of the daily need for protein. While watermelon does not contain full protein, it does include non-essential yet beneficial proteins such as L-citrulline. Watermelon L-citrulline enhances nitric oxide synthesis, according to research. Nitric oxide is a gas that causes blood vessels to relax, hence increasing blood flow and enhancing cardiovascular health.

Can watermelon be eaten on a keto diet?

Watermelon is not suitable for a keto diet due to its high carb content. Many keto dieters, though, will consume small amounts of watermelon. If you can have a cup of watermelon every day, you might be able to stay to your daily carb allowance of 20-50 grams.

Still, we advocate sticking to the keto diet's low-carb keto fruit, low-carb veggies, nuts, seeds, and other foods. This will help you stick to the keto macros while also ensuring you get the nourishment you require to stay healthy.

Watermelon's Health Benefits

If you're still planning on eating watermelon on a keto diet, you're probably wondering if it has any health benefits. Watermelon has several scientifically proven health benefits.

1. Antioxidant defense

Human lycopene levels are increased after eating watermelon, according to studies. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a potent antioxidant. Its antioxidant properties may aid to safeguard cardiovascular health and preventing cancer.

2. Work to improve kidney health

Watermelon has been shown in animal experiments to help avoid kidney stones. Watermelon's steroids and alkanes were blamed for this effect. Watermelon, in addition to preventing kidney stones, has a modest diuretic effect, meaning it makes you pee more. This is beneficial to bladder health and can even help with edema.

3. Improved cardiovascular health

Watermelon eating regularly can help lower blood pressure. This is due to the amino acid L-citrulline, which is found in watermelon and converts to L-arginine in the body, which is a precursor to the amino acid L-arginine.

How do you eat watermelon in the keto diet?

While watermelon is best avoided on a low-carb, ketogenic diet, there are a few methods to use it and stay in ketosis:

1. Stick to eating small portions

If you limit yourself to 1 cup of watermelon every day, you should be able to stick to your macros. Remember that the number of carbs in a cup of watermelon varies depending on how much water it contains.

2. Add it to salads

Watermelon is included in several salad recipes as a refreshing addition. Take this low-carb watermelon salad with feta cheese, for example. It only includes 5 grams of net carbohydrates per serving and is high in fat and protein.

3. Add low-carb fruit to mix.

If you enjoy a bowl of cool watermelon cubes in the summer, try adding berries, starfruit, and other low-carb fruits to the mix. To keep inside the required carb limitations, calculate the correct macros for your fruit bowl with watermelon.

Takeaways

• Watermelon is mostly water, but carbs make up nearly all of its dry weight.

• A regular portion of watermelon contains 20g net carbohydrates, or 7g in a 100g serving.

• Watermelon's carbs are all simple sugars, which are known to swiftly spike blood glucose levels.

• Watermelon is not suggested on a keto diet due to its high carb content.

• You can still eat watermelon on keto provided you limit yourself to tiny servings.