Ask Tappity: Science Questions for Kids > What Happens If You Eat a Watermelon Seed?

What Happens If You Eat a Watermelon Seed?

If you’ve ever swallowed a watermelon seed, you might have wondered if a plant is going to grow out of your stomach. Should you be worried? Watch this video to find out, or read our explanation below!

Plant sprouting in dirt

Seeds Can’t Grow In Your Stomach

Plant seeds generally sprout when conditions around them are suitable for growing. This means having a certain amount of water and available nutrients to feed a growing plant. Your stomach mainly consists of churning acid that eats away at everything inside it - a pretty bad place for a plant to grow. Even if a seed did sprout, it wouldn’t make it very far before your stomach broke it down.

 

Watermelon Seeds Are Protected By Their Seed Coat

A watermelon seed would probably survive the journey through your stomach, though, thanks to its seed coat. The seed coat is the hard shell of the seed, and it's very tough. The seed coat is there to protect the vulnerable seed on its journey from the fruit to a suitable growing location. The truth is, a watermelon seed would make it all the way through your digestive system, until it left your body through your poop.

Watermelon

Watermelon Facts for Kids

Got watermelon questions? We’ve got watermelon answers!

  • Inside the seed coat is the embryo - the tiny baby plant, waiting to sprout. It’s surrounded by a bunch of food that will feed it during the first stage of its growing process.

  • In Japan, they sometimes grow watermelons in glass boxes, which makes them grow into a square shape. That makes them easier to stack.

  • Yes - scientists discovered that cross-breeding 2 specific types of watermelon resulted in a watermelon with no seeds.

  • The rind, or green part, of watermelon is perfectly edible, and actually has some good nutrients. Eat away!

  • The world record for spitting a watermelon is 75 feet, 2 inches - about the length of 2 and a half school buses.

  • The heaviest watermelon ever grown weighed 350 pounds.

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