Summertime is here! That means sweet, juicy watermelons will be in abundance. What’s your pleasure, seeded or seedless? Watermelons are 90% water; they also contain vitamins A, B6, C, lycopene, antioxidants, and minerals. You have heard of lycopene being abundant in tomatoes. The red colored fruit watermelon is full of lycopene, in fact it has the highest level of lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable. A cup of watermelon has one and a half times more lycopene than a large tomato. That large amount of lycopene provides a high level of antioxidants to fight inflammation.
Lycopene is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It protects the cardiovascular system, promotes bone health, and helps prevent cancer. Watermelon also contains another powerful phytochemical, the amino acid citrulline. Citrulline is converted to arginine, also known as L-arginine. L-arginine makes nitric oxide, which is beneficial to the heart and blood vessels. Nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels, opening them, which lowers blood pressure. This also helps your body carry more oxygen to parts of your body that need it, like muscles, heart, and brain.
Converting citrulline into arginine also prevents the excess accumulation of fat cells, because it blocks an enzyme that stores fat. Citrulline, which converts to nitric oxide, could be beneficial for erectile dysfunction in men. However, you could not consume enough watermelon to have the same effect as Viagra,
The free radicals in our bodies cause chronic disease and contribute to aging; are destroyed by carotenoids. Lycopene protects our cardiovascular system and protects the skin by blocking UV damage from the sun. Lycopene can fight effectively against prostate cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and brain cancer.
A delicious way to stay hydrated or to rehydrate is to eat watermelon. After all, it is 90% water, and full of electrolytes and potassium. Before a workout, drink watermelon juice to prevent muscle soreness.
Most of us eat the red flesh of the watermelon and throw away the rind. The whole watermelon is edible! The white part of the rind has a substantial number of antioxidants, flavonoids, lycopene, and vitamin C. The green part is full of chlorophyll and has more citrulline than the red flesh. Make a tasty treat by blending the rind with freshly squeezed lemon juice,
A cup of watermelon is only 46 calories, but it is rich in vitamins A, C, B6, magnesium, and potassium. As kids, when eating watermelon, we would have seed spitting contests. Whoever spat the seed the furthest was declared the winner. Today I would advise you to eat the seeds; they are edible and contain fiber, zinc, iron, and protein. Seedless watermelons are okay too; they are not genetically modified but are hybrid forms of watermelons bred for their no seed content.
When it comes to the old age question of how to pick out the best watermelon? The answer is easy, look at the bottom of the watermelon, it’s the part that has been lying on the ground. If you see a pale butter colored yellow spot, that’s an indication of a ripe watermelon. Some people thump the melon to listen for a hollow bass sound.
It has been said that watermelons are full of sugar; they are high in fructose. However, watermelon is filling, has high fiber, and high water content, giving it a low glycemic load. Enjoy your watermelon this season!!!
Until next time,
Peace, Love, and Blessings ❤️
