Let's Face it everybody loves watermelons.
You know that big red watery fruit that comes into season in the summer.
Belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family that includes cucumber, honeydew and cantaloupe and consisting of mostly water this fruit does a great job in refreshing you on a hot summer's day.
We all have certain memories that are triggered in a specific way and watermelons are one of those triggers.
I will always remember those hot summer days spent with my grandfather and the highlight of those days was sharing an ice cold watermelon.
There were also plenty of tears but they were caused because of the fun we had having a watermelon fight with the leftover skins.
We as children and most probably my parents did not know about all the health benefits of watermelon.
Watermelon Nutritional Values
Before we answer the question what are the health benefits of watermelon let us take a look at the nutritional value of a watermelon.
Nutrient Amount in One 154 G cup
Fiber (g) 0.6
Vitamin C (mg) 12.5
Beta carotene (mcg) 467
Lycopene (mcg) 6,980
Magnesium (mg) 15.4
Energy (calories) 46.2
Potassium (mg) 172
Carbohydrate (g) 11.6, including 9.6 g of sugar
Lutein & zeaxanthin (mcg 12.3 mcg
Phytosterols (mg) 3.08
Calcium (milligrams [mg]) 10.8
Folate (mcg, DFE) 4.6
Phosphorus (mg) 16.9
Vitamin A, RAE (mcg) 43.1
Choline (mg) 6.3
1: Digestive Aid
In today's world so many of us are not consuming enough water and that puts us in a constant state of mild dehydration.
Your digestive process requires water to function properly.
Fiber is also important in this process both of which can be found in watermelon.
Most of the time we do not notice this but we suffer from mild side effects like constipation and headaches.
This can easily be alleviated by introducing watermelon into your daily diet.
Eating just 350 grams of watermelon provides the same moisture as drinking a cup of juice.
If you suffer from digestive conditions like colites then the list of what not to eat can be rather long but watermelon can be added to the list of safe foods.
Just skip the rind and the seeds should you need to limit fiber.
2: Healthy Gums
It is well known that vitamin c helps to keep your gums healthy.
Vitamin C can also reduce bleeding gums and kill bacteria that can be present in the mouth.
That being said if you want to prevent these conditions then enjoy more watermelon in your daily diet.
3: Asthma attack Reduction
Because of the high vitamin c content in watermelon may show the ability to reduce the frequency and intensity of asthma attacks.
Low levels of vitamin c is tied to an increase in asthma attacks while higher levels to a reduction in asthma attacks.
Just one slice of watermelon has nearly 40% the recommended daily amount of vitamin C so if you are an asthma sufferer then start by adding watermelon to your diet.
4: Can Improve Eye Health
Vitamin A is well known for improving eye health and also helps to maintain healthy skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue.
Watermelon seeds are full of beta carotene that is converted into vitamin A in the body so start to chow down on watermelon seeds to improve your eye health.
A medium slice of watermelon can supply you with between 9% and 11% of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A.
So make organic watermelon part of your diet because whole foods are the healthiest way to make certain that you get all the vitamins and minerals that your body requires.
5: Aids in Detoxing the Body
Because of the high water content of a watermelon of up to 92% the watermelon is a great fruit to eat if you are on a detoxing program.
The two electrolytes that are present in a watermelon that helps in aiding the detoxing process and that can also reduce bloating are potassium and magnesium.
Potassium is responsible for reducing blood pressure and water retention.
This obviously reduces the stress on your heart and lowers the risk of heart attack.
Magnesium helps in the prevention of bloating and because it is involved in over 600 cellular functions makes it an extremely important electrolyte.
Improving sleep quality and reducing depression is just two of the functions of Magnesium that will aid in the detoxing process.
6: Lower Blood Pressure
Potassium, Magnesium and certain amino acids like Citrulline that are present in watermelon seeds are able to improve heart health while arginine and omega 6 fatty acids are associated with lowering blood pressure.
Potassium is a well known vasodilator that helps to reduce the strain on the cardiovascular system.
Lower blood pressure means your heart does not have to work that heart and this lowers the risk of heart disease.
At the end of the day your overall lifestyle determines your heart health so start today with a healthier lifestyle and seek the advice of your doctor to help improve your heart health.
7: Acne Prevention
Vitamin A has been shown to reduce acne.
And the beta carotene in watermelons are converted to vitamin A in the body therefore start eating more watermelon to help your body combat acne from the inside out or go for a high quality watermelon facial scrub to help your skin looking younger and healthy.
8: Heat exhaustion and Heat Stroke Prevention
This is an added benefit of a watermelon that is amplified by the high water content of about 92% in a watermelon.
During the hot summer months heat exhaustion and heat stroke is a real danger and can lead to death.
In the United States alone more that 200 people succumb to heatstroke on a yearly basis.
Watermelon contains plenty of water and electrolytes can potentially reduce the risk of suffering heat stroke.
If someone appears to be suffering from the symptoms of heat stroke then medical attention should be found immediately.
Even a small shortage of water in your body can make you feel sluggish so make watermelon part of your diet especially in those hot summer months.
9: Kidney Support
Watermelon is a natural diuretic because of the high water content.
Eating watermelon will help with the flow of urine without putting strain on the kidneys like alcohol will.
Watermelon juice also helps the liver process ammonia and that eases the strain on the kidneys while getting rid of excess fluid.
10: Keeps your skin Healthy
It is nearly impossible to eat a watermelon without eating some of the seeds also.
This however is not a bad thing because the seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids that are extremely beneficial to your skin health.
The omega 3 in watermelon seeds helps in moisturising your skin and keeps it from looking dull and discolored.
The antioxidants found in the watermelon seeds also aids in reducing wrinkles and lines.
If you can get your hands on watermelon seed oil then you can use it as a moisturizer for your skin.
The Vitamin C, A and B6 found in watermelons also leads to a smooth soft and supple skin.
So the next time that you chow down on a watermelon do not spit out the seeds.
The Lycopene in watermelons may also help to protect your skin against sunburn but this is not to say that you should not use a broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF30 or higher.
11: Cancer Prevention
It has been scientifically proven that free radicals have been linked to being a cause of cancer.
Antioxidants like Vitamin C that can be found in watermelon have also been proven to reduce the formation of free radicals.
Several studies have concluded that Lycopene intake from watermelon has shown a decrease in prostate cancer.
Lycopene is also responsible for the bright red color of watermelon and it contains more of this antioxidant than other fruits like tomatoes.
To get the most lycopene from a watermelon, go for one that has bright red flesh instead of orange and yellow.
The health benefits of a watermelon tends to increase the ripper they are and the seedless variety tends to have more Lycopene than the ones with seeds.
12: Source of healthy Fats
Eating watermelon seeds does have a down side and that is the calorie count.
You will take in about 600 calories if you consume one cup of watermelon seeds.
The upside is that watermelon seeds contain plenty of good fats.
One cup of dried watermelon seeds contain 51 grams of fats like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that helps to reduce blood cholesterol while omega 6 fatty acids help to reduce blood pressure.
13: Potassium helps in protecting Nerve Function
Potassium helps to regulate nerve function by helping the passage of electrical impulses and messages.
Night time cramps are also a sign of potassium deficiency but watermelon juice to the rescue with about 170 milligrams of potassium per cup.
Watermelon also contains choline, an antioxidant that is thought to help slow the progression of dementia and also contributes to the following activities and functions.
Memory and learning.
Nerve impulse transmission.
Helps in the early stages of brain development.
Helps to maintain the integrity of cell membranes.
Muscle movement.
With all the health benefits it is easy to see why you should make watermelon part of your daily diet.
14: Weight Loss Aid
With only 46 calories in a cup of diced watermelon this is a great fruit choice for anyone on a diet.
The high water content of the watermelon will also help in keeping you satiated despite the low amount of calories in the fruit.
Drinking watermelon juice post workout will also aid you in the recovery process while preventing muscle cramps.
Because watermelon has almost no carbs it will not spike your blood glucose level as much and as fast as other sugary foods.
This in itself will lead to a host of health benefits like diabetes and high blood pressure prevention.
As far as fruits go watermelon is a perfect addition to any weight loss diet so feel free to enjoy a big slice of watermelon guilt free.
15: Healthy Hair
Elements like iron, Protein, and copper can also be found in watermelon seeds and all of them helps in ensuring that you have healthy hair.
Magnesium help in keeping your hair strong and preventing split ends and breakage.
Copper helps in the production of melanin and that helps to give your hair vibrant color and to keep it silky smooth.
Protein is another important component that can be found in watermelon seeds.
Protein is an important component of hair growth so if you suffer from thin hair then watermelon seeds are a perfect snack for you.
16: Improves Erectile Dysfunction
Last but not least and probably the most least expected benefit of a watermelon is that it can improve erectile dysfunction.
This may sound surprising but a watermelon has similar properties than those of blood vessel dilators and this is because of L-citrulline’s effect on blood flow.
This potential of watermelon is promising but the downside is that there are no clear indications how much one should use to treat this condition.
So next time you feel your romance needs a bit of a boost grab a slice or two of watermelon.
Conclusion
Watermelon is an extremely healthy and great tasting fruit that should form part of everyone's diet due to the health benefits that it offers.
It is the perfect fruit for those hot summer days around the BBQ.
Care should be taken if you suffer from diabetes because watermelon contains natural sugar and these calories should be taken into consideration in your daily diet.
Even though an allergic reaction to watermelon is rare it does happen and it is best avoided if you are one of the people who are allergic to watermelon.
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