Top 7 Watermelon Health Benefits And Nutritional Information

Watermelon health benefits are numerous, which is why watermelon should be used as a daily diet. With vital amounts of vitamins and minerals, watermelons are extremely fortified. This wonder fruit also includes vitamins such as citrulline that are not essential. Therefore, when measured in the blood plasma, over-consumption of watermelon may result in increased concentration of citrulline; this may be mistaken for citrullinaemia or other urea cycle disorders. Medically, a biomarker of intestinal functionality is the circulating concentration of citrulline.

Watermelon is also a useful source of lycopene, a strong red-coloured antioxidant. To some extent, the body uses lycopene to form beta carotene, which then becomes vitamin A. It is surprising that watermelon is the only fruit containing greater lycopene levels than any other new fruit or vegetable.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family, a flowering vine-like plant native to West Africa. By weight, there is about 6 percent sugar and 92 percent water in a single watermelon. It is also a valuable vitamin C source.

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Nutritional Breakdown Of Watermelon

The nutrients in 100 grams of raw watermelon are as follows:

• Calories: 30 grams
• Water: 91%
• Protein: 6 grams
• Carbs: 6 grams
• Sugar: 2 grams
• Fibre: 4 grams
• Fat: 2 grams

Watermelon is free of fat, but it helps to generate energy. Watermelon is a good source of vitamin C and a decent source of many other minerals and vitamins.

• Vitamin C: This antioxidant is essential for skin health and immune function.
• Potassium: This mineral is important for blood pressure control and heart health. It is also very helpful in cleaning or washing off the toxic depositions in the kidneys.
• Copper: This nutrient is most abundant in plant products and is often absent from the Western diet.
• Vitamin B5: Also known as pantothenic acid, this vitamin is found in almost all foods to some extent.
• Vitamin A: Watermelon includes beta carotene that can be converted into vitamin A by your body.

As a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1 and magnesium, food specialists suggest you take more watermelon. It is listed more valuable than other fruits due to its greater water content about ninety percent and calorie value.

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Watermelon Health Benefits

• Lower Blood Pressure: Watermelon is a useful source of citrulline that in your skin is transformed into arginine. Both of which lower blood pressure.
  
• Reduces Insulin Resistance: Watermelon juice and arginine intake are associated with reduced insulin resistance in some studies (1, 2, 3).
• Reduced Muscle Soreness: One study showed that watermelon juice is effective at decreasing muscle soreness following exercise (4).
• Helps in the prevention of cancer: a strong link has been established between lycopene and cancers of the digestive system (5) as well as cucurbitacin E which has been investigated for its ability to inhibit tumour growth (6, 7).

• Lower Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: Watermelon may help lower inflammation and oxidative damage, as it’s rich in the anti-inflammatory antioxidants lycopene and vitamin C (8).
• Good for Skin and Hair: For the health of the skin and hair, vitamins A and C are essential. For healthy skin, vitamin A is also essential as it helps to build and repair skin cells. Your skin may look dry and flaky without enough vitamin A. Lycopene and beta-carotene can also assist safeguard your skin against sunburn (9).
• Improves Digestion: Watermelon includes plenty of water and a tiny quantity of fibre — both essential for good digestion.
  

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As you can see, watermelon health benefits are unavoidable. Watermelon is a very healthy and beneficial fruit loaded with citrulline and lycopene, two powerful compounds of plants associated with lower blood pressure, improved metabolic health and decreased muscle soreness after exercise. As it includes plenty of water, it is an outstanding hydrating agent.