Will Watermelon Seed Grow in Your Stomach?

Consuming watermelon seeds, it is difficult to avoid munching on this thirst-quenching fruit because they are tiny. Eating those seeds can be quite horrifying for kids due to old tales claiming watermelon seeds can grow in one's belly. However, here's what Science says about such a claim.

Will Watermelon Seed Grow In Your Stomach?

You should not be concerned if you inadvertently ingest a watermelon seed or two. It's a fallacy that the watermelon in your stomach grows from a seed to a full-sized fruit.

The truth is that over a day or so, watermelon seeds and other fruit seeds will easily pass through your digestive system and be removed from your body. Watermelon seeds must be placed in soil where they may receive the necessary nutrients to develop into a fruit. Your gut is not a conducive environment for plants to flourish because of its acidic digestive secretions.

Many still steer clear of swallowing watermelon seeds, even though they won't develop into a watermelon in your stomach. It's okay if you carefully remove the seeds from your watermelon slice. Save them for an event where participants must spit watermelon seeds!

However, in general, plant seeds are safe. They germinate when the environment is conducive to their growth. This refers to having a specific volume of water and nutrients accessible to nourish a developing plant.

The primary component of your stomach is the churning acid that destroys everything within it, making it an extremely unfavorable environment for a plant to flourish. A seed wouldn't last very long until it was broken down by your stomach, even if it did grow.

Whether they are black or white seeds, watermelon seeds are safe. Every watermelon seed starts as a tiny white seed. Over time, they develop into the bigger, darker seeds you're accustomed to seeing within watermelons. Some small, white seeds may be mixed in with the darker ones because, depending on when a watermelon is harvested, some seeds may not be fully developed.

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Watermelon Seeds Offer Health Benefits

Aside from being perfectly okay if you ingest some watermelon seeds, they also offer health advantages. Most people can safely and healthily eat any watermelon seed. Iron, folate, and niacin are among the numerous nutrients that can be found naturally in watermelon seeds.

"While they're not too pleasant to munch on by themselves, watermelon seeds actually can provide a great nutritional boost," according to Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, a Dallas-based registered dietitian.

Barnes added that some individuals incorporate watermelon seeds into their diet by roasting them or making flour or butter.

Amidor warns people with sensitive digestive systems that eating watermelon seeds might cause constipation or other gastrointestinal distress.

If you eat too many seeds, your body may become extremely fiber-rich, which could cause digestive problems if they aren't used. However, no evidence supports an upper safe limit on the consumption of watermelon seeds.