Health Benefits of Watermelon, Nutrients, and Risks

The summer season is just around the corner. With February coming to an end, we are stepping into the spring. Watermelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family that stands at the top of having more health benefits than the other Cucurbitaceae members.

There are five types of watermelons that are grown all around the globe. These five types are as follows:

• Seeded
• Seedless
• Mini
• Yellow
• Orange

Each type has its own characteristics but the nutritional values remain the same. It contains more than 45 Calories per cup, with vitamin c, vitamin A and healthy plant compounds.

Nutrients

The benefits of watermelon lie in the nutrients content of the fruit. It has all kinds of nutrients that are responsible for a healthy body.

The nutrients constitute watermelon per 100g.

• Water – 90%
• Vitamins – 0.4%
• Potassium – 0.3%
• Fibre – 0.5%
• Carbohydrates – 7.6%
• Fat – 0.2%
• Lycopene – 0.4%
• Protein – 0.6

Benefits of Watermelon

Watermelon is a sweet fruit that you can always enjoy as fresh snacks. It is not only on low calories but it also helps you to keep your body hydrated during the summer. It can provide a steady supply of vitamin A, Vitamin C to your body.

Watermelon consists of more than 90% water, making it the best fruit to have during the scorching heat of summer. It also contains antioxidants that can help you to remove the harmful elements like free radicals and reactive species out of your body. These types of free radicals can be formed in the body with the natural process and body metabolism.

Let’s get down to the details of the benefits of watermelon:

Prevent Asthma

Many experts believe that watermelon and apple contain the free radical can be used to treat Asthma. These antioxidants present in the lungs can improve the functionality of the lungs. Thereby, reducing the chances of Asthma.

There have been no documents that prove that consumption of vitamin C and antioxidants can stop Asthma, but surely it can help you to fight back.

Control blood pressure

In a study, it has been found that watermelon extract can reduce the blood pressure around the ankles of middle-aged men suffering from obesity. The antioxidants present in the watermelon improve the blood flow in the arteries. Thereby, reducing the blood pressure.

One of the suck antioxidants is lycopene. It can prevent you from any kind of heart disease. The benefits of watermelon are not limited to this only. There has been a review in 2017 that stated that lycopene in the watermelon helps to reduce the inflammation of those body parts which are being corroded by the cholesterol.

Reduce the chances of cancer

The free radicals that are formed inside your body due to the metabolism process may sometimes damage your cess. This may result in the onset of any kind of cancer.

According to the NCI (National Cancer Institute), the antioxidant present in the watermelon can help to kill those free radicals. This way you can free yourself from the harmful effects of the free radicals.

There have been studies that also stated that lycopene can help you to fight Prostate cancer.

Improve metabolism

The benefits of the watermelon lie in its high concentration of water. It has been scientifically proven that watermelon consists of 90% of water. With this much water and the fiber that watermelon contains, it forms a type of gel that helps in smooth peristalsis movement.

Good hydrating agent

We all know that watermelon consists of 90% of water. Hence, consuming them would mean that you are literally drinking water. Watermelon also contains potassium that acts as a good electrolyte for your body. What best option you can have other than a sweet, crunchy, juicy watermelon.

Good for the Brain and Nervous System

Summer heat can damage your cells and the heatwave is harmful to your brain cells. But consuming watermelon can help you to fight those heat waves. Watermelon is rich in choline antioxidant, it can help your body in the following ways:

• Improve your muscle’s movements.
• Reduce the damage to your brain cell.
• It allows your cell membrane to retain its form.
• Keep your nerve cells activated.

Muscles soreness

If you are an athlete and are worrying about practicing in the hot summer. Then now you have one less thing to worry about. Watermelon has properties to reduce muscle soreness and improve recuperating time.

There has been a study in 2017, that stated that the person who has consumed half a liter of watermelon juice mix with added L-citrulline has less muscle soreness than the people who have consumed Placebo.

It is unclear that if it was L-citrulline that has enhanced the property of the watermelon or watermelon alone is more than enough to do so.

Enhances skin

Watermelon is very rich in vitamin C. We all know that vitamin C is an essential part of all the nutrients required for a healthy immune system. Vitamin C not only increases the immune system, but it also helps you to recover at a faster rate.

Your external wounds will heal faster and harmful bacteria will be dealt with accordingly. Vitamin C also helps you in exfoliation, giving you healthy and glowing skin.

Metabolic syndrome

2019 has witnessed many researchers, who have found out that watermelon can help you with the metabolic syndrome that includes obesity and cardiovascular measures.

In the research, 33 overweight people were tested by giving half of the people with 2 cups of watermelon and the other half people with low-calorie cookies. After 4 weeks it was concluded that the people who consumed watermelon were satisfied and felt a sense of fullness for a longer period of time.

In the course of 4 weeks, the people who consumed watermelon experienced:

• Increase in antioxidant levels in the blood.
• Reduce in BMI (Body Mass Index)
• Controlled blood pressure
• Improve in the proportion of the 3 sizes (Both men and women)

On the other hand, those people who ate the low-calorie cookies had gained some weight and had experienced unstable blood pressure.

This experiment was an eye-opener for those people who never considered the benefits of watermelon.

Diuretic properties

There are many people who use diuretic drugs to squeeze out extra body water. Watermelon can act like the diuretic agent to throw out the excess water out of your body.

Eating Plans

When you are out there looking for the best watermelon you can have? You must look for a heavy, firm and symmetrical watermelon. Make sure that there are no soft spots on its surface. You will get an idea of its quality if you tap it with your bare hand.

A good healthy watermelon has bright red in color from inside. And its flesh is crunchy and juicy.

Juices:

watermelon is a versatile fruit that can be consumed in various ways. One of such ways is having it in the form of juices. Just add a few cubes of ice to make it more appetizing. watermelon juice are the best summer soft drink that can be enjoyed by all age groups. After all watermelon juices are not only healthy but also taste good.

Salad:

Watermelons are rich in fibrous substances. So, it can be added to your healthy diet. Yes, juices are the common form of the watermelon but you do not have to always have juice. Just cut a fresh melon and start enjoying it. If you want you can lemon juice to dip in. This enhances the flavor.

Smoothies:

If you want you can make watermelon juices or you can add orange juice to it to make it tangier.

Remember that making the watermelon juice can make the sugar easily absorbable. So, it is advisable for the diabetic patient to eat it in the form of flesh to reduce the sugar absorption level

Roasted seeds:

Not only the flesh is edible, but you can also roast watermelon seed, sprinkle a pinch of salt on top of it. Yummy! Roasted seed snacks. It can go alongside any kind of soft drink. Watermelon is an all-round fruit that not only you can eat or drink but also chew.

Risks

My friend we are talking about watermelon, it hardly has any kind of side effects. Though there is an exception, if you eat too much watermelon, you may be prone to Diarrhoea.

Here are some tips that you may consider to think about it.

Diabetics

If you are a diabetic patient, then you must add the sugar content of watermelon into your diet. It will be better if you eat the fruit as a whole other than making it smoothies or any kind of juices. Breaking the flesh may increase the chances of high sugar absorption by your body.

Allergy

Allergy is something that can be caused by anything. It may be the almighty watermelon. People may grow symptoms that are caused by the consumption of watermelon. Such symptoms may include swelling, hives, and difficulty in breathing. If you ever face this kind of situation, medical attention is of higher importance, as it may lead to anaphylaxis.

Hyperkalemia

This is a phenomenon that occurs when the potassium level of the body increases. This can happen due to the overconsumption of the watermelon.

Conclusion

With the fast-approaching summer, the benefits of watermelon will be in action soon. Watermelon is very good for hydrating your body. Not only it has several healthy nutrients, but it also tastes like heaven licious.

You can enjoy watermelon in various forms. You can have it raw, or you can make juices and smoothies out of it. Just add a few ice cubes and you are ready for perfect summer drinks.

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