Posts Tagged ‘Watermelon’

Research – Watermelon can reduce the chances of developing cardiovascular disease

Watermelon is recommended as a food for the health conscious. Because of the high water content of watermelon, it is meant for people in hot countries to use as a snack that replenishes the water content of the body and really does not cause harm. The sugars present in watermelon are easily absorbed by the body and are a simple form of sugar (very much unlike the complex sugars used in processed foods and sugary foods). However, are there other benefits of this simple fruit ? There is research conducted on whether the watermelon has any other benefits, and it turns out that the research moves to the area of blood pressure, prehypertension, and eventually to cardiovascular disease (link):

A pilot study led by food scientists at The Florida State University suggests that watermelon can be an effective natural weapon against prehypertension, a precursor to cardiovascular disease. This is the first investigation of its kind in humans.
“These findings suggest that this ”functional food” has a vasodilatory effect, and one that may prevent prehypertension from progressing to full-blown hypertension, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. “Given the encouraging evidence generated by this preliminary study, we hope to continue the research and include a much larger group of participants in the next round,” he said.

This does not mean that you can reduce blood pressure problems by earing more watermelon, but it does mean that you can cause yourself no harm by making sure that watermelon is a part of your regular diet.

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What are different health benefits of watermelon?

First cultivated in Egypt, watermelons were once such a highly regarded fruit that one would be placed in the tombs of Egyptian Kings. Today watermelons are used all over the world to make wine, as an ingredient in salads, juices, salsas, sorbets, and smoothies or just eaten raw as a sweet, juicy treat. Aside from watermelon’s thirst quenching taste it has many health benefits.

Health Benefits of Watermelon

- Lycopene is an antioxidant found in most red colored fruits except strawberries. Studies show that Lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer and heart disease in people.
- Vitamin B6 is an important attribute to have in a healthy diet because it promotes chemicals in the brain that help people to cope with anxiety and panic.
- Vitamin C boosts the immune system so that you get sick less often and it also slows down aging and medical conditions such as cataract.
- Vitamin A works much like Vitamin C, in that it helps boost immunity, but it also help your body fight off infection.
- Consumption of water melons has been found to result in alleviation of some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Watermelon is a good source of potassium and magnesium as well. Potassium works with sodium and chloride as an electrolyte in the body to balance water levels in the body and regulate blood pressure and heartbeat. Magnesium promotes heart health and is important for building strong bones and reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis.
- Watermelon is very low in calories, making it the perfect snack for those who are trying to lose weight.
- Watermelons have been associated with reducing the airway spasm that occurs in asthma.
- It is said that watermelon works like a natural Viagra. Arginine improves sexual function in men as it boots nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels.

Nutritional Value of Watermelon

Given below is the amount of nutrients present in 100 gm of watermelon:
Calcium – 7 mg
Carbohydrate – 7.55 gm
Fats – 0.15 gm
Fluoride – 1.5 mcg
Iron – 0.24 mg
Magnesium – 10 mg
Phosphorus – 11 mg
Potassium – 112 mg
Protein – 0.61 gm
Sodium – 1 mg
Sugars – 6.20 gm
Total Dietary Fiber – 0.4 gm
Total Folate – 3 mcg
Vitamin A – 569 IU
Vitamin C – 8.1 mg
Water – 91.45 gm
Energy – 30 kcal
Carotenoids (Lycopene, Phytofluene, Phytoene, Beta-Carotene, Lutein and Neurosporene)