Watermelons are famous fruits to beat the summer heat. Its succulent pulps cool people down giving credits to its hydrating properties. The fruit contains approximately 92% water that quenches thirst. Also known as among the naturally low-fat fruits, incorporating watermelons to your daily diet guarantees multiple health benefits that no other fruits can offer. It can boost your immune system, enhance cardiovascular health, promotes healthy eyesight, and a lot more.
Benefits of Watermelon
1. Cardiovascular and Bone Health
Watermelons have lycopene, a highly recognized component that improves cardiovascular health. Through research, experts also claim that lycopene is an integral component in promoting bone health. According to comparative test results, an increased amount of watermelon taken in diet ameliorated cardiovascular processes through improved vasodilation for smoother blood flow.
This fruit also contains high amounts of potassium, which is crucial in calcium absorption in bones that make it stronger. Stronger joints mean lesser instances of injuries that result to residual pain or other grave joint problems caused by friction.
2. Losing Body Fat
Citrulline, another component found in watermelons, is the precursor of arginine produced in kidneys. Upon its consumption, citrulline undergoes several processes that suppress tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase or TNAP. TNAP works directly with fat cells to control fat production, which also result to lower amount of accumulating fat in the body. In essence, watermelon contributes in people’s long time search for effective and safe fat loss.
3. Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties
Flavanoids, triterpenoids and carotenoids add to the long list of beneficial nutrients in watermelons. Triterpenoid cucurbitacin E suppresses cyclo-oxygenase enzyme activity that results to anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Carotenoid also contributes in preventing inflammation while dealing with free radicals. Experts recommend choosing ripe watermelons because they contain high amounts of the aforementioned components.
4. Diuretic and Kidney Protection
Watermelon is considered as a natural diuretic. Diuretics, which are currently available in pharmacies, aid in enhancing urine flow for excretion. The watermelon aids liver in processing ammonia collected in the body after protein’s catabolic process. This process can get rid of excess fluids and thus easing the strain on kidneys.
5. Muscle and Nerve Benefits
Electrolytes are integral in stabilizing muscular and nerve processes in the body. Watermelons offer electrolytes, as they naturally contain high amounts of potassium. Potassium controls nerve pulses and muscular processes, allowing for smoother functions in the process.
6. Alkaline-forming Effect
Fully ripe watermelons have an alkaline-forming effect that contribute in decreasing the risk of diseases brought about by diet consisting of high acid foods like dairy, meat, eggs and others. Nowadays, people take in more highly acidic foods, which increase the population of individuals suffering from these diseases. Take watermelons together with other meals ensure protection from these illnesses and other health advantages.
7. Eye Health Improvement
Health experts like dietitians and doctors recommend taking in high amounts of beta-carotene found in red and orange colored fruits and vegetables for improved eye health. With its red pulps, watermelons can take the credit for being one of the top sources of beta-carotene that will work effectively for your eyesight. Beta-carotene undergoes a conversion process to convert into vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient for the eyes. Vitamin A aids in counteracting degenerative eye diseases like macular degeneration and night blindness. Aside from enhanced eye health, vitamin A also contributes in maintaining healthy teeth, skin, involuntary and skeletal tissues, and membranes.
8. Immune System and Healing Support
Although it is not considered as a citrus fruit, watermelon also gained name for being a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C, as a part of your diet, is important as it helps in improving your immune system. It heightens a cell’s physical protection against reactive oxygen organisms that destroys DNA and cellular components by keeping redox integrity on a cellular level.
Vitamin C’s contribution in would healing is recognized in quite a number of studies. Wound healing ensures new connective tissue growth as replacement. Individuals suffering from wounds that take time to heal are recommended to take in more amounts of vitamin C, which can be obtained in citrus fruits and in watermelons.
9. Sexual Improvement
Considered as natural Viagra, watermelons showed on multiple studies its ability to promote potency among men. Citrulline also aids in expanding blood vessels that give way for better blood flow and result to erection. Better blood flow in the genital area enhances erection without taking in male enhancement products. According to a study conducted by University of Texas-based expert, Dr. Patel, citrulline is transformed into arginine, a component that influences nitric oxide production in the body. Boosted amounts of nitric oxide aids in decreasing the risk of aneurysm, a condition characterized by a blood-filled sac in the blood vessel.
10. Blood Pressure Regulation
Watermelons can pose benefits to people suffering from hypertension, which leads to other grave cardiovascular problem, as they stabilize blood pressure through potassium and manganese. Antioxidants found in the fruit also maintain and restore blood vessels’ health at their finest state and preventing sclerosis. Controlled movement within the blood vessel also helps in preventing high blood pressure.
Watch a video for how to make watermelon summer drink with lemon to get all the benefits: