Ingredients

Watermelon Contains Nutrients and Beneficial Plant Compounds

As far as fruits go, watermelon is one of the lowest in calories — only 46 calories per cup (154 grams). That’s lower than even low-sugar fruits such as berries.

One cup (154 grams) of watermelon has many other nutrients as well, including these vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin C: 21% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
• Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
• Potassium: 5% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
• Vitamins B1, B5 and B6: 3% of the RDI

Watermelon is also high in carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lycopene. Plus, it has L-citrulline, an important amino acid.

Here’s an overview of watermelon’s most important antioxidants:

Carotenoids

Carotenoids are a class of plant compounds that includes alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A.

Lycopene

Lycopene is a type of carotenoid that doesn’t change into vitamin A. This potent antioxidant gives a red colour to plant foods such as tomatoes and watermelon and is linked to many health benefits.

Coconut water’s natural electrolytes make it a solid match for traditional sports drinks like Gatorade. Made without added sugar, food colouring, or artificial sweeteners, many people reach for coconut water as a more natural performance drink.

Studies have shown that coconut water can perform just as well as a traditional sport’s drink to keep you hydrated and help replenish fluids after a run

With only 45 calories in a cup, coconut water is a great substitute for higher calorie drinks like sodas or juice, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Coconut water has less sugar and carbohydrates than most juices. It also has more minerals and electrolytes like sodium and potassium.