12 Health Benefits Of Watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a summertime favorite and one of the most attractive, tasty, and entertaining fruits to eat. Fortunately, it's also really healthy. Here are eight essential health benefits of watermelon, as well as how to choose a perfectly ripe fruit and how to include water in meals, snacks, drinks, and desserts.
Watermelon benefits:
- It keeps you hydrated:
This fruit's name does not include the word "water." Watermelon comprises five ounces of water per cup about the size of a yogurt container. Drinking enough fluid, including from water-rich meals, helps with circulation, skin health, and digestion. It also aids in temperature regulation, organ and joint function, metabolism, hunger, and waste removal. Hydration has an effect on mental functioning as well. According to studies, even a 1-3 percent loss of bodily fluid can affect mood, focus, headaches, and fatigue, interfere with overall working memory, and raise anxiety.
2. It contains important nutrients and very few calories:
Watermelon has less sugar and calories than you might assume. Watermelon has 45 calories per cup, with 11 grams of carbohydrate, 9 grams of which are naturally occurring sugar. However, in addition to relatively small amounts of potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, and health-protective antioxidants, that natural sweetness is bundled with vitamins A and C, which boost immune function and skin health.
3. It lowers the blood pressure and improves circulation:
L-citrulline, a naturally occurring chemical found in watermelon especially in the white area of the rind, has been implemented to enhance artery function and lower blood pressure by assisting blood vessels in relaxing, allowing for better circulation. Watermelon has been dubbed "nature's supplement" because of the L-effect citrulline on blood flow. By increasing the blood flow in the penis, L-citrulline has also been shown to boost muscle oxygenation and athletic performance after endurance exercise in studies.
4. It reduces the muscle soreness:
Athletes who drank 16 ounces of watermelon juice an hour prior exercise had less muscular pain and a faster heart rate recovery than those who drank a placebo drink, according to one study. In another study, male runners who drank 16 ounces of watermelon juice enhanced in L-citrulline two hours before half-marathon races reported less muscle discomfort for up to 72 hours than those who received a placebo beverage.
5. It helps in healthy weight management:
When watermelon is consumed instead of a processed sugary snack, it may aid with weight management. Satiety and weight changes in overweight and obese adults were studied after a four-week intervention. One group was assigned to eat two cups of fresh watermelon per day, while the other was given low-fat cookies with the same number of calories as that of the watermelon. Participants were free to have their snacks at any time of day, in one or many sittings, and alone or in conjunction with other foods. Researchers discovered that watermelon increased satiety more than cookies, and that satiety less hunger, more fullness, and a decreased urge to eat lasted up to 90 minutes after eating. Therefore, watermelon for weight loss is a great option.
6. It offers digestive support:
While watermelon isn't particularly high in fiber, the fiber does contain aids with digestive health. Prebiotics, a form of fiber that promotes the production and/or activity of advantageous bacteria in the large intestine, are also present in the fruit. Prebiotics have been linked to improved immune function, reduced inflammation, and a more cheerful mood. Prebiotics also help with mineral absorption, blood glucose and insulin levels, and colon cancer prevention.
7. It protects against various diseases:
Watermelon is a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps fight oxidative stress, which happens when the formation of cell-damaging free radicals outpaces the body's ability to counteract their negative effects. Lycopene protects against chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, as well as neurological diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Choose conventional pink flesh watermelon for the most lycopene, as it contains far more of the antioxidant than yellow and orange variants.
8. It helps in protecting your skin:
If you adore watermelon and eat it whenever it's in season, it may provide some skin protection. Vitamins A and C in watermelon support healthy skin, and lycopene in the fruit may protect against UV damage, though the benefits are not instant. After 10 weeks of regular intake, one study indicated that eating tomato paste, which contains 16 mg of lycopene, prevented sunburn. A cup and a half of watermelon has roughly 9 to 13 milligrammes of lycopene. Hence, watermelon for skin works wonders.
9. It helps in hydration:
Watermelon gets its water from H2O. If you're having trouble getting enough clear liquid each day. Pro tip: that eight 8-ounce amount comes with a lot of qualifiers, watermelon might be able to assist. Because watermelon is 92 percent water, eating it can help you meet the daily hydration goals. The high water content of fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, and pineapple also makes you feel full.
10. It combats cancer:
Watermelon is high in lycopene, a red pigment found in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes. Many researchers believe it can also help prevent cancer. Lycopene may help prevent cells from harm, according to research. It inhibits the production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which aids cell division. IGF has been related to cancer in high doses. Though additional research is needed, lycopene consumption appears to be linked to a lower risk of malignancies of the digestive system and prostate in particular. Cucurbitacin E, a chemical that may suppress tumor growth, is also found in moderate amounts in watermelon.
11. It assists in combating eye problems:
Lycopene found in fruits like watermelon is beneficial to your health in a variety of ways. Lycopene protects numerous parts of your eyes from oxidative damage and inflammation, including your eyes. As a result, research suggests that the lycopene in watermelon may help to prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a prevalent age-related eye condition. AMD can lead to blindness if left untreated. Though further research is needed to be sure, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics of lycopene-rich watermelon may help prevent AMD from worsening or forming in the first place.
12. It has low sugar and calories:
Although watermelon is delicious, it is also one of the lowest calorie fruits available. It's a sweet tooth's dream without any of the added sugar, with only 46 calories and less than 10 grams of sugar per cup. Watermelon may also assist you achieve your weight-loss goals. Researchers discovered that eating 2 cups of fresh watermelon everyday compared to low fat cookies with the same calorie count helped persons who were overweight or obese maintain their weight better.
Take Away
Fresh watermelon is delicious on its own, but it may also be used in sweet and savory dishes. In a simple fruit salad, mix cubes or watermelon balls with some other fresh fruit and garnish with fresh mint, grated ginger, or shredded coconut.
