Watermelon is one of the most popular summer fruits, and it’s no wonder why. The fruit tastes sweet and juicy with a firm texture that’s fun to eat. It also offers numerous health benefits that will help you feel better during your hot summer days and nights. Here are the top 7 amazing health benefits of watermelon.
Encourages weight loss
Watermelon is rich in water, which keeps you hydrated and full, curbing your appetite It helps you to lose weight, add this in your weight loss plan. Additionally, a study published in Nutrition Journal found that eating half a cup of diced watermelon (about 68 grams) daily for one week actually helped participants lose 2 percent more weight than those who did not eat any fruit during that time period.
Lowers Risk for Diabetes: The health benefits of watermelon have been linked to its role in fighting diabetes. A study published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry demonstrated that compounds from watermelon called citronella-malate can reduce blood sugar levels by as much as 16 percent.
Reduces Blood Pressure: The health benefits of watermelon may also help lower blood pressure due to its high potassium content. A study published in Hypertension Research revealed that potassium supplementation was able to significantly reduce systolic blood pressure levels within two weeks.
Other health benefits of watermelon include improving heart health and preventing kidney disease, making it a great choice if you’re looking to enhance your overall wellness. Keep in mind that watermelon is a superfood and benefits of superfood is naturally contains fructose and sorbitol, both of which are types of sugar.
Has Antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential for our health, helping to eliminate free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals can cause damage throughout your body, causing serious conditions like heart disease and cancer.
Antioxidants can help prevent that damage by grabbing hold of free radicals before they do their dirty work. A great source of antioxidants is watermelon, which contains lycopene, beta-carotene and vitamin C—all powerful antioxidants that improve health when consumed in large amounts. Lycopene has been shown to protect against prostate cancer, while beta-carotene reduces risk of lung cancer.
Vitamin C helps with wound healing and protects against cataracts. All three nutrients make up a good portion of antioxidant activity in watermelon. It’s easy to see why these nutrients are so important for maintaining good health!
In addition to its high content of antioxidants, watermelon has several other benefits for your overall health. It’s rich in phytonutrients, which add several vitamins and minerals to its nutritional profile. Phytonutrients include compounds known as carotenoids, flavonoids, glucosinolates, phenolic acids and terpenes.
Keeps You Hydrated
In addition to being 92% water, watermelons are rich in an antioxidant called lycopene. Lycopene helps your body fight against all kinds of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases and many others. Also, consuming watermelons is one way to stay hydrated, which can help you prevent kidney stones.
However, when it comes to keeping hydrated don’t forget that not just plain water will do. Citrus fruits or cucumbers are good options as well because they help keep your urinary tract healthy and promote urination by helping you get rid of toxins from your body more quickly.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in our bodies, so make sure you eat lots of them every day. A study published in 2008 found that drinking 500 ml (about 17 oz) of watermelon juice daily for 6 weeks significantly improved blood flow and heart function in people with pre-hypertension or stage 1 hypertension.
Other studies have also shown that eating watermelons can lower cholesterol levels and triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good kind). ked tomatoes compared with raw ones but cooking doesn’t affect its absorption into our bodies.
anticancer effects
Though it may seem strange to think that eating watermelon can help prevent cancer, there is some truth to it. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in large amounts in watermelons, is thought to slow down tumor growth and suppress cell mutations that cause cancer.
Lycopene not only protects against prostate cancer but also may lower a man’s risk for developing breast or ovarian cancer. When eaten raw (and in moderation), lycopene appears to block human papillomavirus infection and early research shows it may protect against cervical cancer as well. Studies suggest that lycopene may be particularly effective at preventing stomach cancer because of its ability to kill H. pylori bacteria.
Eating foods high in lycopene is also associated with a reduced risk for macular degeneration, heart disease and stroke. And while more research needs to be done on how much lycopene you need each day, current guidelines recommend five servings per week of tomato products like salsa or ketchup; one serving equals about half a cup of diced tomatoes or two tablespoons tomato paste. The best way to get your daily dose? Eat a whole slice of watermelon!
improve heart health
Watermelon is a great fruit for keeping your heart in shape. According to nutritionists, watermelons are an excellent source of lycopene and beta-carotene, antioxidants that can help keep your arteries healthy.
Lycopene also helps fight against heart attacks and strokes. The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fruits or vegetables high in lycopene every week as part of a healthy diet.
In order to maximize its benefits, it’s best to eat watermelon at least one hour before you exercise. Because it can help lower blood pressure while increasing blood flow and protecting your body from dangerous free radicals.
To further protect yourself from these diseases, be sure to choose a variety with red flesh instead of yellow; research shows that red varieties contain more nutrients than their pale counterparts. Furthermore, avoid seedless varieties since they lack many essential vitamins and minerals.
While you may think all melons are equally good for your health, there are differences between them. Watermelons have fewer calories than honeydew or cantaloupe, but they still pack plenty of nutritional value into each bite. And unlike other melon types, they contain zero cholesterol! Not only do they taste great on their own, but they make a perfect addition to any salad.
A serving size is typically six ounces (one cup), which provides over 90 percent of daily vitamin C requirements. Vitamin C plays an important role in immunity and tissue repair; most adults need around 75 milligrams per day to stay healthy.
improve skin health
Research has shown that eating watermelon can improve skin health by increasing levels of hyaluronic acid. This is great news for those battling acne and aging skin, but it’s also good news for anyone who just wants healthy, glowing skin!
As you age, your body naturally starts to produce less hyaluronic acid, which contributes to wrinkles and other signs of aging. Eating a diet rich in hyaluronic acid can help reverse some changes in your skin’s appearance.
The best way to get more hyaluronic acid into your diet? Eat more watermelon! ( Source ) For example, 1 cup of diced watermelon contains 4.4 grams of hyaluronic acid, or about 6% of your daily value.
Other foods high in hyaluronic acid include asparagus (3 grams per cup), avocados (2 grams per avocado), celery (2 grams per stalk) and sweet potatoes (1 gram per cup).
So next time you sit down to eat a slice or two of watermelon, don’t think of it as dessert—think of it as part of an anti-aging strategy! Watermelons are loaded with lycopene.
Lycopene is another antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables that may help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.
improve digestion
Much like other fruits, watermelon is high in fiber, which helps keep your digestive system running smoothly. One cup contains 3 grams of fiber! Eating whole fruit instead of drinking fruit juice can help prevent constipation and even hemorrhoids.
The special soluble fiber found in fruits like watermelon not only relieves occasional constipation, but also keeps your colon healthy. Soluble fiber attracts water and turns into a soft gel when it reaches your intestines.
The gel creates a layer over bowel contents to slow down absorption and promote regular bowel movements; plus it adds bulk to stools so they are easier to pass. That’s why eating plenty of natural fruits and vegetables is important for keeping your colon clean. And as we all know, a happy colon leads to overall health. So if you want clear skin and smooth hair, then start enjoying more fruits!
About 40% of Americans are affected by hemorrhoids at some point in their lives – that’s about 100 million people nationwide. Hemorrhoids affect both men and women equally, but most commonly occur during pregnancy or after age 50 due to hormonal changes that weaken pelvic muscles.
When these muscles become too weak or stretched out from straining (like during pregnancy). Then piles develop on either side of the anus that cause irritation or bleeding from irritation—or both. Although uncomfortable, piles don’t necessarily require treatment because symptoms typically resolve themselves within several weeks.
Final Words
A whole watermelon has only 90 calories, 3 grams total fat and 10 milligrams sodium. A cup of diced watermelon has 30 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement, 20 percent of your vitamin A needs and a healthy dose of lycopene. Which is an antioxidant thought to lower cancer risk.
Consuming half a cup or more each day may help prevent macular degeneration in addition to protecting your skin from sun damage. The fruit also appears to be beneficial for cardiovascular health.
It contains high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, which believe to improve heart health by helping keep arteries clear and reducing cholesterol levels while lowering blood pressure.
Lycopene found in watermelon may also protect against stroke. Research suggests that consuming lycopene can reduce overall cancer risk as well as prostate cancer specifically. Furthermore, it’s important to note that even though studies have linked moderate consumption of alcohol with reduced mortality rates and breast-cancer incidence.
You should avoid excessive drinking altogether since excess alcohol consumption increases health risks. Such as liver disease, hypertension and certain cancers including esophageal and oral cancers. So enjoy your summer but don’t forget about all those health benefits of watermelon!