Watermelon Fruit: What Watermelon Does To Our Body To Improve Healthy Living?

What is watermelon?

Watermelon is a good fruit that when you use it in a right amount could helps you to stay healthy by providing essential nutrients to your body.

It contains only 46 calories per cup but is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and many healthy plant compounds.

Here are what watermelon does to our body.

1. Heart health

Watermelon is rich in an amino acid called citrulline that may help move blood through your body and can lower your blood pressure. Your heart also enjoys the perks of all the lycopene watermelon contains. Studies show that it may lower your risk of heart attacks. Of course, your whole lifestyle affects your heart health. So make sure you also work out, don’t smoke, limit saturated fat, and keep up with your doctor’s advice.

2. Regulates Blood Pressure

The American Journal of Hypertension  has published a study that states that watermelon extract plays a significant role in lowering blood pressure in obese people suffering from hypertension. Moreover, the amount of potassium and magnesium present in watermelons is very beneficial in terms of lowering blood pressure. Potassium is considered a vasodilator, meaning that it releases the tension on blood vessels and arteries, thereby stimulating blood flow and reducing the stress on the cardiovascular system. The carotenoids present in these fruits and others with high carotenoid content, such as guava – also prevent the hardening of artery walls and veins, helping reduce blood pressure and the chances of blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis. 

3. Body Rehydration

Drinking water is an important way to keep your body hydrated.

However, eating foods that have a high water content can also help. Interestingly, watermelon is 92% water.

What’s more, a high water content is one of the reasons why fruits and vegetables help you feel full.

The combination of water and fiber means you’re eating a good volume of food without a lot of calories.

4. Health benefits of watermelon to diabetic patient.

Diabetics, who are supposed to follow a diet low in sugar and consistent in carbohydrates, 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. Despite being sweet in taste, a thick wedge will give them very few calories, as 99% of its total weight is composed of water and roughage. Moreover, the vitamins and minerals such as potassium and magnesium help in the 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. Diabetics can also have curries, steaks, and salads made from watermelon rinds, which are even lower in sugar.

5. Contains Nutrients and Beneficial Plant Compounds

As far as fruits go, watermelon is one of the lowest in calories, only 46 calories per cup (154 grams). That’s lower than even low-sugar fruits such as berries.

One cup (154 grams) of watermelon has many other nutrients as well, including these vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin C: 21% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)

Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI

Potassium: 5% of the RDI

Magnesium: 4% of the RDI

Vitamins B1, B5 and B6: 3% of the RDI

Watermelon is also high in carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lycopene. Plus, it has citrulline, an important amino acid.

Here’s an overview of watermelon’s most important antioxidants:

I. Carotenoids

Carotenoids are a class of plant compounds that includes alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A.

II. Lycopene

Lycopene is a type of carotenoid that doesn’t change into vitamin A. This potent antioxidant gives a red color to plant foods such as tomatoes and watermelon and is linked to many health benefits.

III. Cucurbitacin E

Cucurbitacin E is a plant compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Bitter melon, a relative of watermelon, contains even more cucurbitacin E.

6. Joints and ankle protection

Watermelon has a natural pigment called beta-cryptoxanthin that may protect your joints from inflammation. Some studies show that over time, it could make you less likely to get rheumatoid arthritis.

7. Digestion

The watermelon contains fiber, which encourages a healthy digestive tract and helps keep you regular. 

8. Skin and hair benefits

Vitamin A is stellar for your skin, and just a cup of watermelon contains nearly one-quarter of your recommended daily intake of it. Vitamin A helps keep skin and hair moisturized, and it also encourages healthy growth of new collagen and elastin cells, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Vitamin C is also beneficial in this regard, as it promotes healthy collagen growth.

9. Muscle soreness and athletic performance

Watermelon-loving athletes are in luck: drinking watermelon juice before an intense workout helps reduce next-day muscle soreness and heart rate, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. This can be attributed to watermelon's amino acids citrulline and arginine, which help improve circulation.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that watermelon's citrulline may also help improve athletic performance. Study participants who took citrulline supplements saw a boosted performance with more power production in high-intensity exercise like cycling and sprinting. 

10. Prevents cancer

Like other fruits and vegetables, watermelons may be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer through their antioxidant properties. Lycopene in particular has been linked to reducing prostate cancer cell proliferation, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Watermelon also contains Vitamin C  which serves as an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage from free radicals.

11. Gives Relief from Kidney Disorders

Watermelons contain a lot of potassium, as do many fruits and vegetables, which is thought to help flush out the toxic depositions in the kidney. Moreover, they are known to reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood, thereby reducing the chances of kidney damage and the formation of renal calculi. In addition to this, being high in water content, watermelons induce urination, which is again helpful for cleaning the kidneys. Also, the antioxidants 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. Exercise caution in consuming watermelon, however, if you already have kidney disease, as the high water and potassium content may do more harm than good. 

Sources:

www.healthline.com

www.organicfacts.net

www.livesciences.com

+2 other sources