How Many Calories in Watermelon Are There?

Watermelon: chunked, or sliced, in fruit salads or simply on its own. Millions of people have looked forward to this summertime snack. Many don’t know the wide variety of health benefits watermelon can provide, though. Some are even worried that watermelon is unhealthy and should be avoided because of the watermelon calories and sugar. This is anything but true. Watermelon is full of vital nutrients and important vitamins. Though it does contain some sugar, it should definitely not be left off of any shopping list.

Watermelon Facts
This popular summer fruit is made up of more that 90% water, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Watermelon belongs to the cucurbitaceae family, the same group that contains pumpkins, squash and cucumbers along with zucchini and other melons. Historical remains in Egypt suggest that the watermelon was widely cultivated there because of its sweet taste and natural sugars. China joined the watermelon bandwagon in the 10th century, remaining the number one producer of watermelons in the world today. Europeans, though, didn’t discover the watermelon until much later, in and around the 1200’s. During these times, it wasn’t uncommon to see pickles watermelon rind or even watermelon liquor at many tables. Watermelon is generally perfectly ripe in the middle of summer to the end of the season, so try purchasing your delicious watermelon during those times.

Watermelon Nutrition Information
Watermelon has often received a bad rap for being too high in sugar to be worth the vitamins. This assumption is completely false. How many calories are there in watermelon, then? Around 46 calories in watermelon chunks (one cup). The 80 calories watermelon contains per large slice makes it a much healthier snack that some other alternatives such as yogurt and even other fruits that contain more sugar and more calories. It is true that watermelon has a lot of sugar (17 grams per serving), but that shouldn’t drive you away from the fruit. Natural sugar is healthy for you, unlike the processed sugars you find in many foods today. With around 35% of both your daily values of vitamin A and vitamin C, you also can’t blame watermelon for being nutrient-less. It’s easy to see that high water content doesn’t take away from nutrition. The fruit is also high in potassium and contains little to no saturated fats and cholesterol. Some common health tips related to watermelon are based on these findings, like eating a bowl in the morning to energize the rest of your day.

Watermelon and Your Diet
How many calories in watermelon should deter you from enjoying the health benefits and vitamins of the popular summer fruit. Make sure to pick your melon during the peak of the growing season for good taste and texture. Then, you can feel good while eating a snack that’s healthy, light, and fresh.

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