USDA Adds Watermelon Rind Nutrition Profile, Citing 10 Calories per Serving

Q: Does the cost of extra ingredients needed to make tough watermelon rind tasty actually cancel out its budget-stretching benefits?

Usually not. The budget benefit of using watermelon rind is small, but in many common preparations the added cost is also small enough that it does not erase the value of using something you already paid for. The key is how you prepare it. The cheapest uses are smoothies, slaws and stir-fries, because they rely on ingredients many households already have or use in small amounts: a little vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, or other vegetables and seasonings. In those cases, the rind functions like a low-cost add-in that stretches meals and reduces waste. If a watermelon is roughly 30% rind, using even part of that can turn one fruit into more servings without buying another produce item. The economics change when the recipe is heavy on sugar, specialty spices, jars, or energy-intensive cooking. Pickled rind and jam can still be worthwhile, but the savings narrow if you need to buy ingredients just for that recipe. Sweet preserves in particular can require a substantial amount of sugar, and that can outweigh any money saved from the rind itself. There is also a practical tradeoff: rind is not as nutrient-dense or ready-to-eat as the flesh, so its value depends on whether you would actually use it. Experts note it is best treated as a complement, not a replacement. For budget-conscious households, watermelon rind makes the most financial sense in simple, low-ingredient dishes using pantry staples already on hand.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 28

A one-third-cup serving of raw, seedless watermelon rind is now listed in USDA FoodData Central at 10 calories, with 1 gram of fiber, 140 milligrams of potassium and 4 milligrams of vitamin C.
The new entry gives dietitians and food-service operators standardized data for an edible part of the fruit that often gets discarded, as interest in rind recipes has been rising.
National Watermelon Promotion Board data show watermelons are about 30% rind and 62% of consumers throw that portion away—roughly 5 pounds on average—framing the move as a food-waste reduction effort.
Nutrition experts said rind is not a substitute for the flesh, which remains richer in nutrients such as lycopene, but it can be used in smoothies, slaws, pickles and stir-fries if the melon is washed first.