The Health Benefits of Watermelon Juice

It just doesn’t feel like summer until you’ve had that first bite of sweet, juicy watermelon. Thanks to its high water content, watermelon is perfect for cooling down on hot, sunny days. It’s one of our favorite fruits for picnics, potlucks, and pool parties. 

Wondering about the health benefits of watermelon and watermelon juice? Watermelon is one of those foods that’s so delicious, it may be hard to believe it’s actually good for you!

But watermelon is packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It offers many powerful health benefits and makes a great addition to a balanced, plant-based diet.

We enjoy watermelon as a raw snack, blended into fruit popsicles, or juiced with fresh jicama, strawberry, mint, lime, and watermelon rind in Little West’s The Quench. During heatwaves, watermelon can help you stay hydrated and feel refreshed. Its natural sweetness can also help satisfy sugar cravings.

Here are the top health benefits of watermelon and watermelon juice:

Watermelon Keeps You Hydrated

There’s a reason it’s called watermelon. Few fruits can match the H2O content of this iconic green and red melon. In fact, watermelon is 92% water! 

This high water content is what makes watermelon a low-calorie food. It's also why watermelon has such a crisp, juicy, and refreshing taste. Eating watermelon or drinking watermelon juice blends like Little West’s The Quench help you stay hydrated. 

Watermelon also provides natural electrolytes to replenish your body during exercise or extreme heat.

Also Read - Benefits of Drinking Strawberry Watermelon Juice

Watermelon is High in Vitamins, Minerals, & Antioxidants

Despite its high water content, watermelon still delivers a big nutritional bang for your buck. Watermelon is high in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The list of nutrients in watermelon includes:

• Vitamin C, which supports healing and immunity
• Vitamin A, carotenoids, and beta-carotene which supports eye and skin health
• Potassium for nervous system function, muscle regeneration, and heart health
• Magnesium, which helps regulate blood sugar (among other functions)
• B Vitamins for supporting cellular health
• And more!

Watermelon is a Rich Source of Lycopene

Lycopene is a powerful plant compound with many health benefits. Lycopene gives watermelon its vibrant, reddish-pink color (it’s also found in natural foods like tomatoes and pink grapefruit). And lycopene is an antioxidant, too. This means it helps reduce oxidative stress in the body.

Studies have found that lycopene may help:

• Reduce your risk of certain cancers
• Prevent chronic conditions like diabetes
• Protect against heart diseaseß
• Prevent macular degeneration and vision problems

Lycopene may also protect your body from the inside out and may promote healthier skin. Research indicates that lycopene may be able to reduce the effects of UV exposure from the sun. Of course, we don’t suggest replacing your sunscreen with watermelon juice. But consuming more lycopene-rich foods like watermelon may be beneficial for individuals who are sensitive to the sun. It’s another reason why watermelon is such a perfect summertime snack.

Watermelon Helps Reduce Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is linked to numerous health problems. An anti-inflammatory diet, including fruits like watermelon, is thought to may help reduce inflammation in the body. The antioxidants in watermelon help fight free radicals, which are compounds that cause oxidative stress and contribute to chronic inflammation. 

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich foods like watermelon have been shown to help reduce or reverse the cellular damage caused by inflammation. They may also strengthen your immune system against colds, flu, and other viruses.

Watermelon Rind Also Offers Health Benefits

Did you know that you can eat all parts of the watermelon, including the rind? Watermelon rinds contain a compound called citrulline.

 In addition to possessing antioxidant qualities, citrulline helps improve circulation, lowers blood pressure, and boosts your immune system.

Although raw watermelon rind is an acquired taste, there are many ways to get the health benefits of this crispy green rind. 

We add cold pressed watermelon rind to The Quench, but you can also enjoy watermelon rind sautéed in sauces, curry, or pickled in vinegar and spices. 

Eating Watermelon May Relieve Soreness & Boost Recovery Time

Thanks to citrulline, watermelon may also help relieve muscle soreness and boost recovery time after you work out. 

Research suggests that the citrulline in watermelon may improve vascular performance. In one study, athletes who drank watermelon juice experienced less muscle soreness than athletes who didn’t. These same athletes also had shorter heart rate recovery times.

Other studies have found that consuming watermelon may improve endurance and physical performance. Since watermelon has such high water content -- and plenty of electrolytes -- you can drink cold-pressed watermelon juice (or juice blends like The Quench) as a natural sports drink.

Also Read - 5 Hydrating Juices That are Healthy & Delicious

The Little West Watermelon Juice Advantage

Little West provides you all the watermelon has to offer…and then some! Watermelon makes its way to The Quench juice from Little West. Think of it as watermelon juice, but amplified!

With this bottle of cold-pressed juice, you get watermelon mixed with strawberry, mint, lime, and jicama. We mentioned earlier how watermelon rinds can be healthy as well. So, fear not! The watermelon and its rinds are blended into the juice, too! With ingredients like these, The Quench juice aims to quench your thirst and hydrate you, all the while restoring and rejuvenating you!

Little West’s The Quench is a kosher, gluten-free, and (most importantly) delicious watermelon beverage that you can enjoy whenever! It’s made in small batches to ensure freshness, with nothing but natural ingredients. Super fresh is always the best!

How Often Can I Eat Watermelon or Drink Watermelon Juice?

You can enjoy watermelon often! It’s okay to drink watermelon juice or eat the fruit daily - with certain caveats! When you eat a moderate amount of watermelon daily, you’re unlikely to come across any problems and will only reap the benefits. Some have suggested that an average person, free from any medical concerns and dietary restrictions, can eat 1 to 2 cups of fruits daily. You can consume this amount in the form of fresh watermelon or fresh juice.

So if you love watermelon just as much as we do, how important is it to watch how much watermelon you consume a day? Well, moderation is your friend. If you eat too much, you could get a surplus of lycopene or potassium and may experience bloatedness, nausea or an upset stomach.

Keeping Watermelon Fresh: Storage and Serving Tips 

If you’ve got fresh watermelon juice, it’s a no-brainer. Drink it immediately! Sure, if you’re unable to finish it, you can store it in the fridge and it will still be good… but drinking and serving it fresh is always the best. Oh, and watermelon juice is always best kept in the fridge.

How about the fruit itself? If you’ve bought a whole watermelon, it will be fine at room temperature. You can still keep it in your fridge as long as you have space for it. As for opened watermelon, again it’s the fridge you need! Don’t leave its “flesh” exposed as well. Wrapping it with some cling film will do wonders and keep your watermelon crispy fresh for longer. 

Stay Healthy with Fresh Watermelon Juice

Add more watermelon and watermelon juice to your daily diet to reap the health benefits of this delicious, hydrating fruit. Stock up on Little West’s The Quench and other cold-pressed juices for all your summertime adventures. Now, amplify your wellness journey with our invigorating juice cleanse and accessible juice subscription.