Kids feared that if they swallowed watermelon seeds, vines would start growing inside their stomach, bursting out of their body.
Seeds cannot germinate inside your stomach. They require specific conditions: appropriate soil, moisture, temperature, and light. While your stomach is warm and wet, it lacks soil and lacks the right pH and nutrients for germination. Additionally, stomach acid and digestive enzymes would damage seeds. Modern seedless watermelons have made this myth less prevalent, but it persists in family lore.
Reception
Sources
- Snopes: Watermelon Seed Growth PRIMARY
- Wikipedia: Seed Germination REFERENCE
- Verywell Health: Swallowing Seeds REFERENCE