Is Watermelon Keto-Friendly?

One cup of diced watermelon, weighing 152 grams, has about 11.5 grams of carbohydrates and 0.5 grams of fiber.

Some keto diet regimens propose limiting your carb consumption to less than 50 grams per day. You will need to check the carb content of everything you eat. So, if you cannot fit 11.5 grams of carbs from watermelon in your diet for the day, save them for another day.

Depending on how you divide your daily carbohydrates, watermelon can fit into a ketogenic diet. It may account for more than half of your daily carbohydrate allowance, but it does not have to be avoided. Generally, watermelon has fewer carbs than other fruits, such as bananas and apples. Berries are another low-carbohydrate fruit option, with all of them containing nine grams or fewer of net carbohydrates in one cup serving.

• Watermelon has a glycemic index (GI) of 72, which is considered high and can spike blood glucose levels. However, its glycemic load (GL) is suitable for keto diets.
  • (The GL score is a measurement of the number of carbohydrates released into your circulation.)
• Watermelon has a GL of seven. In this sense, anything less than 10 is considered healthy.
• So, while the carbohydrates in watermelon are quickly released, there are not many in the bloodstream.

Additionally, watermelon also contains the following minerals:

• Iron
• Calcium
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Lycopene

Watermelon does more than simply fulfill your sweet appetite on the keto diet.

1. Keeps you hydrated: Watermelon constitutes 92 percent of water. Eating watermelon can compensate for the electrolyte loss that comes with dropping water weight.
2. Promotes weight loss goals: Watermelon can help lose weight due to its high-water content and low-calorie count. Watermelon is high in the amino acid arginine, which has been shown in tests to aid in the burning of fat cells and the reduction of obesity.
3. Reduces inflammation: Watermelon helps defend against illness by reducing chronic inflammation in the body. Uncontrolled inflammation has been related to the development of numerous forms of inflammatory illness, therefore you must incorporate a range of anti-inflammatory foods into the diet.
4. Protects cells and prevents diseases: Watermelon is high in disease-fighting antioxidants, which assist to protect your DNA cells from the destructive effects of free radicals. Lycopene, one of the key antioxidants, contained in watermelon, has been shown in studies to help protect against illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.
5. Reduces blood pressure: Watermelon has been proven to lower blood pressure, particularly in the elderly and those with early-onset hypertension. Researchers believe that two antioxidants in watermelon, L-citrulline, and L-arginine, induce the arteries to widen, lowering blood pressure.

Watermelon has a lot of sugar, and excess sugar consumption could be harmful to your health. According to research, a high sugar diet causes cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes. Furthermore, watermelon is high in fructose, a type of sugar.

Studies show that excessive fructose consumption causes various negative health effects, such as:

• Increases fat buildup in the liver
• Causes dyslipidemia (imbalance of various lipid concentrations)
• Lowers insulin sensitivity
• Raises uric acid levels

Furthermore, watermelon is not among the top high fiber and low carbohydrate fruits. It can induce constipation on a keto diet because it is low in dietary fiber. Rarely, it can even cause changes in the urine color.