A fantastic fruit, filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and with little calories, the watermelon presents many surprising benefits. In this article, we will explore the health benefits of watermelon and even a few healthy recipes that contain this amazing fruit. The watermelon comes in a few shapes and sizes, it can either be seeded, seedless, mini, yellow and orange.
We all know that fruits and vegetables must be part of any diet, to have a healthy lifestyle. However, the truth of the matter is that most us do not have the time to take properly care of ourselves. That is why this fruit is an excellent addition to any person who wishes to have a balanced diet, lose some weight or have a healthy lifestyle in general.
Health Benefits of Watermelon
Many studies have concluded that the health benefits of eating watermelon are many. Heart diseases, diabetes, obesity are just a few illnesses that watermelon counteracts. This lovely fruit also shows the ability to help people who want to lose weight. Moreover, the health benefits of watermelon also extend to higher energy levels and healthier hair and skin. Now we will break down the list of some of the most dangerous diseases that watermelon helps counteract:
- Cancer – by having high doses of vitamin C and other antioxidants, the creation of free radicals that lead to cancer is greatly undermined.
- Blood Pressure – the watermelon benefits for health also extend to healthier arterial functions, by reducing blood pressure, brachial blood pressure and carotid wave.
- Digestion – due to the high concentrations of water and fiber, the fruit helps people to maintain a healthier digestive tract.
- Muscle – one of the best health benefits of watermelon juice is that it decreases the recovery time after heavy muscle injuries. A common belief shared by scientists is that the amino acid L-citrulline handles the faster healing process.
- Hydration – Watermelons are an excellent source of electrolytes and help fight off dehydration. Furthermore, watermelons are 92% water, further helping against dehydration. This makes the watermelon juice health benefits excruciating better than energizing drinks.
- Skin and Hair – alongside vitamin C, watermelons also contain high amounts of vitamin A, valuable for the health of hair and skin.
- Erectile Dysfunction – also known as “Nature’s Viagra”, watermelon helps the flow of blood and relaxes the blood vessels. Citrulline also improves the sexual drive of men, improving the overall sex life.
Additional Nutritional Information
Other health benefits watermelon possesses include a multitude of necessary substances for the human body. The fruit provides the necessary intake per day of:
- 1% of calcium.
- 2% of iron.
- 21% of vitamin C.
- 17% of vitamin A.
Other important substances that are part of watermelons are:
- Potassium
- Copper
- Manganese
- Choline
- Lycopene
- Selenium
- Betaine
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Pantothenic Acid
- Folate
- Niacin
- Riboflavin
- Thiamin
- Vitamin B6
Watermelon Recipes
Many people overlook the health benefits of watermelon seeds as well as the health benefits of watermelon rind. The seeds are highly edible. Also, they contain high levels of iron, zinc, protein and fiber.
The rind can be blended with lemons or lime to create healthy shakes or juices. The rind is an excellent source of chlorophyll and amino acid citrulline. Citrulline is necessary for the health of the kidneys, heart, and the immune system.
Not only can the watermelon be eaten as such, or used in juices, but it can be included in many healthy dishes. We highly recommend the watermelon salad with crispy prosciutto and mint. This is an excellent dish, especially for those hot summer days. We also recommend:
- Watermelon Lime Cooler – starting with a good summer drink that contains fresh lime juice, crushed ice, watermelon and lime liquor. For those who wish an excellent summer cocktail, we recommend using vodka as well.
- Watermelon Jelly – this excellent dessert contains six pounds of watermelon, unflavored gelatin, sugar, fresh lemon juice, canola oil and optionally champagne.
- Watermelon Slices with Mint and Lime – a simple yet delicious dessert, especially useful during hot summer days that contains five pounds of seedless watermelon, fresh mint, four limes and sugar.
- Watermelon and Basil Iced Tea – another refreshing summer drink made of water, tea, medium watermelon, fresh basil, and sugar.
- Summer Shrimp Salad – this is a fantastic summer dish containing one pound of shrimp, one red onion, one medium watermelon, jalapenos, avocados, one lime, honey, olive oil, salt, black pepper and cilantro leaves.
- Three Melon Mozzarella Salad – an incredible summer dish that contains cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, fresh basil, honey, mozzarella bocconcini, jalapeno, and salt.
- Watermelon, Lime, and Ginger Pops – possibly the best summer dessert, these popsicles are made of one seedless watermelon, sugar, lime juice, fresh ginger and a drop of salt.
- Minted Watermelon Salad – this lovely dish requires a medium watermelon, one red onion, fresh mint leaves, salt and black pepper.
- Watermelon Mint Cooler – this is a refreshing drink: the ingredients for it are 1 pound of watermelon, lemonade, and fresh mint. Put it all in a blender and there you have it.
The watermelon health benefits are many, and its versatility in making unique and refreshing dishes and juices is another amazing plus. So when asking what are the health benefits of watermelon, the answer is many – ranging from heart diseases, cancer, digestion to weight loss, hair and skin care.
We are drawing to an end our article on the many health benefits watermelon has. It is an amazing fruit and vegetable at the same time, because it is part of the Cucurbitaceae family, producing both seeds and fruit. They are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants while containing low levels of calories.
The high concentrations of lycopene in the fruit, greater than in tomatoes, makes them an excellent way of preventing prostate cancer. The ability to help regulate digestion, blood flow, muscle soreness as well as regenerating skin and hair proves that the health benefits of watermelon are great.
In conclusion, this fruit is a stunning solution for those who desire to lose weight, maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent serious illnesses. The fact that in can be used in many dishes and drinks makes it greater.
We hope you enjoyed our post on the many health benefits of watermelon. Do let us know if there are other benefits of consuming it.
DrWealth