Watermelon is a summer staple! Summer is a season of juicy, plump summer fruits. From berries, mango, peaches and litchi, there is nothing better than eating a big, juicy wedge of watermelon on a hot summer day. Watermelons are loaded with all good things, it is delicious, full of water, refreshing and just have 46 calories every cup.
Watermelon has vitamin A, vitamin C and other healthy elements. It maintains water levels in your body and boosts your fibre intake. Eat it with yoghurt and honey or serve it as a refreshing drink, the summer essential is just sumptuous in any form.
Beat the heat this summer with watermelonst (Picture credit: Pixabay)
There are many types of watermelon such as seedless, seeded, red and orange. It is a great source of lycopene and antioxidants. You can also eat watermelon seeds, which are rich in minerals like copper, zinc, iron and manganese.
Read on to know other health benefits of eating watermelon.
- Watermelon keeps you hydrated throughout the day: One cup of watermelon has 5 ounces of water. Eating watermelon can help with digestion, and improve your skin health, and blood circulation. It improves metabolism and appetite.
- Weight Loss: The humble watermelon can help a great deal in your weight loss journey. You should include watermelon in your breakfast as it can help you stay hydrated throughout the day. Fun fact: did you know, that watermelons are 92 per cent water by weight? The summer fruit is a negative calorie food, which helps in burning calories.
- Reduces kidney disorders: Watermelon is a great source of potassium and calcium, which helps in flushing out the toxins from your body. Calcium helps in lowering the amount of uric acid in the blood, thereby lowering the chance of kidney diseases. Calcium also plays an important role in the cell differentiation process, maintains cell structure and regulates cell functions.
There are many types of watermelon such as seedless, seeded, red and orange
- Muscle soreness: Watermelon contains L-citrulline, which has been shown to relieve muscle soreness, enhance physical performance and promote muscle relaxation. The compound L-citrulline also protects against pain in the muscle. It is advisable to drink watermelon juice prior to your workout as it enhances the performance and intense training.
- Reduces the risk of Cancer: Watermelon can lower the risk of cancer as it is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which help fight the free radical formation in the body. Free radicals are known to cause cancer. Also, lycopene, which is present in watermelon, has been associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene seems to lower the risk of cancer by reducing insulin-growth factor (IGF), which is a protein involved in the division of cells. A higher concentration of IGF is associated with cancer.
Watermelon reduces the risk of cancer
- Lower blood pressure: Watermelon contains citrulline, an amino acid, which is converted into arginine by the body. This arginine along with citrulline help nitric oxide production, Nitric oxide dilates and relaxes the blood vessels, lowering the blood pressure. Also, watermelon contains carotenoids, which help prevent the veins and arteries from hardening, helping lower the chances of atherosclerosis and blood clots.
- Good for your skin: Since 95 per cent of watermelon is just water, it helps in nourishing the skin and makes it more radiant.
Not just that, the fibre-rich fruit is great to curb hunger pangs as it keeps you full for a longer time.
