yes, therapy helps!
12 benefits and nutritional properties of watermelon

12 benefits and nutritional properties of watermelon

March 29, 2024

Summer is already here, and at this time of year eat fruit much more . Fruits are low calorie foods with a high content of water, so they help keep us well hydrated, which is especially important at this time of year when the heat tightens.

Benefits of watermelon

Watermelon is a delicious food that also contains many health benefits. Regardless of the type of watermelon, in the following lines you will find some reasons why you should include this delicious food in your diet.

The benefits of watermelon are the following.

1. It helps you to be hydrated

Being hydrated is vital for the proper functioning of our body and to keep us alive , that's why consuming watermelon, with 92% water, is a tasty way to hydrate. But not only that, but if we want to control calories, foods rich in water help us feel more satiated. This, together with its high fiber content, is ideal for losing weight.


2. Aphrodisiac food

Watermelon is an aphrodisiac food that increases the levels of nitric oxide in our body and libido , according to a study by the University of Texas. This happens due to citrulline, an amino acid relaxes blood vessels and becomes arginine, which helps produce this compound. It's like a natural viagra.

  • Related article: "Nitric oxide (neurotransmitter): definition and functions"

3. Reduce diseases

Watermelon is a food rich in lycopene, which is a type of carotid found in vitamin A . Its function is that of antioxidant, and gives that reddish and orange color to many fruits and vegetables. Lycopene is associated with the prevention of different diseases: arteriosclerosis, prostate, breast, lung, bladder, ovarian, colon and pancreas cancers, human papilloma virus (HPV), cataracts and asthma.


4. Help prevent cancer

As you see in the previous point, this fruit helps prevent cancer . Not only lycopene is useful in this sense, but it is the most important compound, especially for those carcinogenic diseases of the digestive system.

This substance also helps to reduce the IGF or insulin growth factor that helps cancer cells develop. Vitamin E, present in this food, also inhibits the growth of tumor cells.

5. Help improve vision

Vitamin A is also essential for our vision, as it favors the development of pigments in the retina and helps prevent macular degeneration and night blindness. This fruit, which contains lutein and zeaxanthin, has a protective effect for the eyes. Vitamin C, likewise, is an antioxidant that could reduce the risk of developing cataracts.


6. Reduce muscle pain

Drinking a watermelon juice after training is ideal to prevent muscle pain and reduce it if necessary . This from sebe to L-citrulline, an amino acid that seems to protect against muscle pain. A study says that consuming a watermelon juice before your workouts reduces muscle pain up to 24 hours.

7. Prevents heart disease

Different studies have found that consuming watermelon prevents heart disease . One of them highlights the role of this fruit in the prevention of heart attacks, thanks to the presence of citrulline and arginine. In fact, it is possible to find products with watermelon extract, and research has shown that people who consume them show significant improvements in blood pressure and heart stress.

Arginine, likewise, is a precursor of nitric oxide, which allows blood vessels to remain relaxed and open for blood flow, which helps lower blood pressure.

8. Help to lose weight

Watermelon helps to have a more slender and healthy body, it is a fruit that contains few calories and that is practically all water. According to a research in the Journal of Nutrition, L-arginine accelerates metabolism and promotes fat loss.

  • Related article: "15 tips to accelerate metabolism and lose weight comfortably"

9. Anti-inflammatory effect

As I mentioned in previous points, this fruit is rich in lycopene, which, in addition to the aforementioned benefits, is also a natural anti-inflammatory, as indicated by many researches. Within the group of carotenoids, lycopene is the best in terms of the positive effects of inflammation, even better than beta-carotene.

10. Improve the health of your skin

One of the important components of watermelon is vitamin C, essential for the synthesis of collagen . This means that the skin will look healthier.In addition, vitamin A is very effective in treating wrinkles and sunspots, and is vital for a healthy tan. This vitamin is necessary for cell regeneration and protects against some diseases of the skin, such as psoriasis and vitiligo.

11. Improves hair health

But the presence of vitamin C and collagen are not only vital for the skin, but also for the hair : it prevents the fall of it, reduces dandruff, split ends, etc. Thanks to citrulline and, consequently, to arginine, watermelon promotes hair growth. In addition, these compounds, which increase the presence of nitric oxide in the body, improve blood flow in different areas of the body including the scalp.

12. Bone health

Again, lycopene has a beneficial effect on bones and keeps them strong, since it reduces oxidative stress and, therefore, the presence of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, two bone cells that are involved in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Watermelon is also rich in potassium, which together with calcium keeps bones and joints healthy.


The Nutritional Benefits of Watermelon (March 2024).


Similar Articles