The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially recognized the nutritional value of watermelon rind, a move that could help reduce food waste and introduce consumers to a new edible part of the popular summer fruit. The USDA recently added a standardized nutrition profile for watermelon rind to its FoodData Central database.
A one-third-cup serving of raw, seedless watermelon rind contains approximately 10 calories, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 140 milligrams of potassium, and 4 milligrams of vitamin C, according to the USDA data. While the rind is edible, its nutritional contribution is not intended as a replacement for the fruit's flesh.
The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) funded the analysis and spearheaded the effort to have the rind officially recognized by the USDA. Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications for the NWPB, noted that most consumers are unaware that the rind is edible.
According to the NWPB's 2023 Watermelon Consumer Usage Study, watermelons are composed of about 70% flesh and 30% rind, and 62% of consumers discard the rind. This amounts to an average of five pounds of rind per watermelon that could potentially be utilized in various recipes.
Registered dietitian Lisa Young stated that eating the rind can be a simple method to increase nutrient intake while minimizing food waste. However, she cautioned that the rind is tougher and less sweet than the flesh, which provides important nutrients and antioxidants like lycopene. Young emphasized that proper preparation is key and advised consumers to wash watermelons thoroughly before consuming the rind.
Interest in watermelon rind recipes has grown, partly due to food creators on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Megan McKenna, NWPB's senior director of marketing and food service, explained that the organization wanted to explore the rind's nutritional benefits, leading to the USDA-approved lab testing and collaboration with health professionals to verify the results.
The new USDA nutrient profile provides dietitians and health professionals with standardized data to incorporate watermelon rind into recipes and dietary guidance, offering more value from each watermelon. Barlow suggested that smoothies are an easy way to try watermelon rind, and she also favors a rind slaw made with shredded rind, vinegar, sugar, salt, and oil, which can include the edible outer green skin.
Other culinary applications for watermelon rind include pickling, stir-frying, roasting, and incorporating it into baked goods. To prepare watermelon safely at home, the NWPB recommends washing the fruit under cool running water without abrasive scrubbing or solutions. After rinsing and drying the whole watermelon, it can be cut, with the rind reserved for recipes. A vegetable peeler can be used to remove the tough green outer skin, similar to peeling a cucumber.
For storage, the NWPB advises refrigerating cut watermelon in a sealed container for three to five days. Pickled watermelon rind can be stored in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.