Naturally, this leads many people to ponder the pH of watermelon, whether it is acidic or alkaline. Watermelons are one of the lowest-acidic foods that have a pH range of 5 to 6 and 9 when they are fully ripe. Because they contain about 90% water in their bodies, they have an alkaline-forming effect on their solution as they ripen. Watermelons are considered to calm our hearts and hydrate our bodies, among many other health benefits. However, that is not all there is to know about the roles that acid and alkaline can play in our daily food diet. There is a lot more that goes into watermelons and their pH levels.
Why Are Watermelons Alkaline?
Watermelons are one of the most alkaline fruits that we eat. A watermelon when fully ripe can have a very high pH. pH above 7 is already considered to be alkaline. But the US Food and Drug Administration considers any food with a pH above 4.6 to be alkaline in nature. So, from whichever scale you choose, watermelons turn out to be extremely alkaline when it comes to the world of fruits.
What is the pH of Watermelon?
Considering any other food options, watermelon contains the lowest acid and has a medium to high alkaline pH. When a watermelon is fully ripe and has a pH of 9, it counts as a high alkaline. Generally speaking, it has a pH scale ranging somewhere between 5.18 and 5.60. Thus, making it a low-acid food. From our chemistry lessons, we all know that the pH scale runs from a 0–14 range. But, what is the concept behind the pH scale? Any food or substance that has a pH level of less than seven falls under the acidic level. We can call anything that comes above seven alkalines. If a food contains a solid seven, it is considered neutral.
The pH Scale of Alkaline and Acid
If we look closely at the ratio of the odd digits on the pH scale, we can see that these odd numbers rather represent their acidity variation. A tenfold increase by every number. The lower the digits go, the higher their acidic levels increase. On the other hand, the higher the digits rise, the lower the acid content of a food. A food with a pH of 5 is 10 times more acidic than one with a pH of 6. It is also a hundred times more acidic than level 7, and the number continues to rise in line with the same pattern. Since watermelons have a pH above 5, they contain a tiny amount of citric acid compared to any other food.
The Difference Between Alkaline and Acid
The presence of alkaline and acid in a food item plays a vital role on a pH scale. But more importantly, it determines the portions present in water. Even though both of these components are solutions, they can be different in appearance, taste, and properties. • Alkaline – As we mentioned earlier, any food that has a pH above 7 is considered alkaline and contains hydroxide in its solution. Alkaline foods will likely taste bitter and appear slippery when touched. You can neutralize them using other acids. • Acid – On the other hand, an acid is the complete opposite of an alkaline. For instance, it falls below the pH scale of 7 and contains hydrogen ions in its solution. An acidic solution will taste sour (depending on the acid) and look more sticky than an alkaline. Taking lemons as an example, they taste sour, and their juice is rather sticky than slippery. Moreover, they run low on a pH scale, making them acidic foods and the ones with the most hydrogen in their solution. So, if watermelons have a pH above 5 in general, it has the lowest hydrogen present in their solution. When a watermelon is fully ripe, it contains 90 percent of water inside its body and runs low on acid. It is slippery and watery, making its solution fully alkaline to a pH scale of solid 9.0.
Why Should You Eat Alkaline Fruit Like Watermelon?
In recent years, having plenty of alkaline foods and products has gained popularity, as well as great results. Like most fruits, legumes, vegetables, and nuts fall under the category of alkalizing foods, making them very promising for our health. Watermelons are at their best when fully ripe and therefore very alkaline. So, yes, an alkaline-forming watermelon is a good thing to include in our daily food diet. Many experts would suggest that alkaline-forming diets act as a shield against acidity. It also improves the regulation of the pH of our blood. However, not all alkalizing foods impact the pH of the blood. Many alkalizing fruits contain vitamins, antioxidants, fibers, and minerals that impact our bodies and health. Watermelons fall under alkaline foods without a doubt, and therefore, they are also beneficial to our diet and health. With all things considered, it is always best to consult with your doctor before making any changes to your food diet. You can also include these 8 alkaline foods in your daily intake for their health benefits. All the alkalinity aside, watermelons are like mostly water. And for people who can’t get themselves to chug down the required 8 glasses of water a day, keeping tasty slices of watermelon in the fridge could be an excellent alternative.
How The Alkaline In Watermelon Benefits Us?
Watermelons are very healthy fruits with high levels of nutrients like minerals and vitamins. The red color of watermelon appears because of the lycopene and vitamin C present in its solution and body. It plays as an antioxidant to improve our body as well as our brain health and strengthen our immune system. To consider having watermelons in our everyday diet is to boost the possibilities of a healthy future. Not only does the fruit give a refreshing and sweet taste to enjoy, but every bite of watermelon is packed with nutrients. We have gathered some of the many health benefits we can get from eating watermelons on a regular basis. Let us have a look at it:
- A Good Friend For Our Heart If you enjoy eating watermelons, then you are in great luck because watermelons are believed to lower your risk of heart issues. The lycopene present in the fruit controls and lowers our blood pressure as well as our cholesterol levels. Watermelons are low-acid fruits but still contain some acids in their solution, including amino acids. Amino acid, or citrulline, present in watermelons, lowers our blood pressure by boosting the nitric acid levels and expanding the blood flow.
- Make You Look Younger If you care about your skin and hair, then add watermelon to your daily diet. Watermelons are one of the fruits that contain vitamins A and C that help improve our hair and skin. It boosts the production of collagen and boosts protein, making you look younger and livelier.
- Hydrates Our Bodies Proper hydration of the body is always needed, especially during the summer season or hot weather. If you care about your body, always have a mouthful of watermelon whenever you can to stay fully hydrated. Watermelons contain about ninety-two percent of the water that keeps our bodies hydrated. It allows our organs to operate efficiently. Furthermore, it keeps you cool and refreshed during hot summer months.
- Improves Digestion Watermelons are made up of mostly water content with a few fibers thrown in for good measure. The fibers present in the fruit play a vital role in boosting the digestion process and improving stool. The water in the fruit helps improve our bowel movements. Watermelons are one of the essential foods recommended for people going through tummy issues. All of these things contribute to improving your digestion.
Salt Makes Watermelon Taste Less Acidic
If you’ve ever had watermelon with a dash of salt then you’d know how much sweeter it makes the melon. It greatly reduces the tartness of the melon and makes it super sweet. But why is that? Well, salt enhances the sensitivity of some tastes like sweet and umami. On the other hand, it reduces the sensitivity to other tastes like bitter and sour. As a result, the melon with salt tastes less acidic. But, remember that salt does not actually reduce the acid level in watermelon. Just alters our sensitivity to it. Related Topics Ph of Potato Ph of Tomato Ph of Alcohol Ph of Milk Ph of Coffee Ph of Lactic Acid Ph of Lemon Ph of SeaWater Ph of Acid Rain Ph of NaCl Ph of NH4Cl Ph of HCl Ph of Baking Soda
Conclusion
To wrap it all up, watermelons add a lot of nutritional value to a healthy diet that everyone should incorporate into their daily lives. While the fruit has up to 90 to 92% water content, it still counts as a low acidic food given its pH of 5.2 to 5.8. So, if you went through the whole article, we hope you learned the pH of watermelon. Thank you for stopping by!
