The question is, why is there so much craze for the watermelon? At first
glance, it may seem like nothing more than a big ball of water. We all
know that there is nothing more refreshing than a big, chilled wedge of
watermelon on a hot, summer day and it does sport a stylish scientific
name of C
itrullus Lanatus, but
what’s the real reason so many people flock to grocery stores every
summer to buy a big, awkward fruit like this one? Well, it is hard to
narrow it down to a single reason; there are actually a lot of them.
Watermelon is now the most-consumed
melon in the US (followed by cantaloupe and honeydew). This cousin to
cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash is thought to have originated in Egypt
close to 5,000 years ago, where it is depicted in hieroglyphics.
As for accessing the total medicinal benefits of watermelons, it is
highly dependent on the variety of watermelon and the ripeness. Beta
carotene and lycopene is usually bio-available in the highest quantities
once the watermelon is completely ripe, and don’t be afraid to eat some
of the watermelon rind; there are quite a few nutrients in there as
well, particularly the roughage and fiber.
6 Watermelon Facts That Might Surprise You
1. Watermelon Has More Lycopene Than Raw Tomatoes
Lycopene is a powerful carotenoid antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables a pink or red color. It's most often associated with tomatoes, but watermelon is actually a more concentrated source. Compared to a large fresh tomato, one cup of watermelon has 1.5 times
the lycopene (6 milligrams (mg) in watermelon compared to 4 mg in a
tomato).
2. Watermelon Juice May Relieve Muscle Soreness
If you have a juicer, try juicing about one-third of a fresh
watermelon and drinking its juice prior to your next workout. This
contains a little over one gram of l-citrulline, an amino acid that
seems to protect against muscle pain.
One study found that men who drank natural unpasteurized watermelon
juice prior to their workouts had reduced muscle soreness 24 hours later
compared to those who drank a placebo. You do need to be careful with drinking watermelon juice, though, as
it contains a significant amount of fructose. It may be better to eat
the entire fruit, or opt for these other tips to prevent muscle soreness.
3. Watermelon Is a Fruit and a Vegetable
Remember how watermelon is related to cucumbers, pumpkin, and squash?
That's because it's part vegetable and part fruit (it's a sweet,
seed-producing plant, after all). The other clue that watermelon is both fruit and vegetable? The rind is entirely edible…
4. You Can Eat Watermelon Rind and Seeds
Most people throw away the watermelon rind, but try putting it in a blender with some lime for a healthy, refreshing treat.
Not only does the rind contain plenty of health-promoting and
blood-building chlorophyll, but the rind actually contains more of the
amino acid citrulline than the pink flesh.
Citrulline is converted to arginine in your kidneys, and not only is this amino acid important for heart health
and maintaining your immune system, but it has been researched to have
potential therapeutic value in over 100 health conditions.
While many people prefer seedless watermelon varieties, black
watermelon seeds are edible and actually quite healthy. They contain
iron, zinc, protein, and fiber. (In case you were wondering, seedless
watermelons aren't genetically modified, as they're the result of
hybridization.)
5. It's Mostly Water
This might not be surprising, but it's still a fun fact; watermelon is more than 91 percent water. This means that eating watermelon with you on a hot summer day is a tasty way to help you stay hydrated and avoid dehydration (it's not a substitute for drinking plenty of fresh water, however).
6. Some Watermelon Are Yellow
The Yellow Crimson watermelon has yellow flesh with a sweeter, honey
flavor than the more popular pink-fleshed Crimson Sweet. It's likely
that yellow watermelon offers its own unique set of nutritional
benefits, but most research to date has focused on the pink-fleshed
varieties.
Health Benefits of Watermelons
Kidney Disorders: Watermelons contain a lot of potassium, which is very helpful in cleaning or washing out the
toxic depositions in the kidneys.
Moreover, it is helpful in reducing the concentration of uric acid in
the blood, thereby reducing the chances of kidney damage and the
formation of renal calculi in that organ. Added to this, being high in
water content, it induces frequent urinating, which is again helpful for
cleaning of the kidneys. Also, the anti oxidants present in watermelon
ensure good health of the kidneys for a long time, and reduce signs of
premature aging like wrinkles and age spots on the skin.
Prevents Heat Stroke: Watermelon is effective in
reducing both your body temperature and blood pressure. Many people in
tropical regions eat this fruit every day in the afternoon during the
summer to protect themselves from heat stroke. In India, you will find
the fruit being sold by vendors in almost every street during the summer
season. The high amount of water contained in watermelon also
stimulates a release of excess liquid in the form of sweat, which cools
your body further during hot summer days.
High Blood Pressure: The good
amount of potassium
and magnesium that is present in watermelons is very beneficial in
terms of bringing down blood pressure. Potassium is considered a
vasodilator, meaning that it releases the tension of blood vessels and
arteries, thereby stimulating increased blood flow and reducing the
stress on the cardiovascular system. The
carotenoids
present in these fruits also prevent hardening of artery walls and
veins, thereby helping to reduce blood pressure and the chances of blood
clots, strokes, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis.
Prevents Cancer: Watermelons have been in the public eye more and more in recent years, primarily because of their impressive level of
lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient
compound that is increasingly being linked to cancer prevention. As the
years go by and the studies continue to bring in consistent results,
lycopene has been shown to significantly reduce the risks of prostate,
breast, colon, lung, and endometrial cancer. All in all, between the
antioxidant potential of vitamin C and the impact of lycopene,
watermelon is a great anti-cancer fruit!
Diabetes: Diabetic patients, who are supposed to
have a low energy and low sugar diet, often complain about starving
since they don’t get to eat their staple diets, which gives them the
feeling of being half fed. Watermelons can be a good supplement for
them. In spite of being sweet in taste, a thick wedge will give you very
few calories, since ninety nine percent of its total weight is composed
of water and roughage. Moreover, the various vitamins and minerals such
as potassium and magnesium help in proper functioning of insulin in the
body, thus lowering the
blood sugar level.
Arginine, another component found in watermelons, is very effective at
enhancing the impact of insulin on blood sugar. Diabetic patients can
also have curries, steaks, and salads made from water melon rinds, which
are even lower in sugar.
Heart Care: Lypocene, a carotenoid found in abundance in watermelon,
improves cardiac functions.
Beta carotene, known for its remarkable antioxidant and anti-aging
properties, also keeps you young at heart and prevents age-related
cardiac problems. The roughage in water melon and its very low energy,
along with help from vitamin-C, carotenoids and potassium (potassium
cuts the risk of a heart attack), helps to reduce cholesterol and keep
your heart safe from a variety of dangerous conditions.
Macular Degeneration: Don’t worry about eye health and
macular degeneration
if you eat plenty of watermelon, because between the beta carotene,
vitamin-C, lutein, and zeaxanthin, your eyes are well protected. They
will ensure protection of your eyes from age-related blindness and
degeneration, and these antioxidants will protect your eyes from other
age-related ailments such as drying up of eyes and optical nerves, as
well as glaucoma.
Impotence: Arginine, present in watermelon, is beneficial in curing
erectile dysfunction,
and the stimulating nature of the chemical can boost libido, reduce
frigidity and give a kick start to your love life, after you enjoy a few
slices of watermelon together!
Other Benefits: Lypocene is found to be effective in repairing damaged tissues. Watermelon seeds are rich in
beneficial fats and proteins.
Watermelons also contain phytonutrients which have very good effects on
the health and proper functioning of internal organs, eyes, and the
secretion system.
