Are you interested in watermelon nutrition facts? There is a lot of hearsay that surrounds watermelon, such as “watermelon can help you lose weight” or “watermelon can help prevent cancer.” The truth is that watermelon nutrition does have the possibility to stave off certain illnesses although the research conducted on that front is not solid. It definitely does make a good food choice for a hot summer’s day. In fact, its name is derived from the fact that over 90% of this melon is made of water (which is why some people might suggest that it helps you lose weight—it gets you full on water). Let’s take a look at some of the other wonderful things that this crunchy, juicy, sweet melon has to offer!
Vitamins : Watermelons are chock full of stuff called antioxidants. The specific antioxidants found in a watermelon are vitamin C and vitamin A. Vitamin C is well known for its ability to improve the body’s absorption of iron. It is also very good at boosting one’s immune system. This vitamin is also necessary in order for the body to produce protein collagen, which is a substance found in tissues all over the body, such as muscle, bone, skin, and blood vessels. Low levels of vitamin C can lead to poor wound healing and a susceptibility to illnesses such as colds and infections. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which means that the body only uses as much as it needs and the rest is simply flushed out of the body in the urine. Because your body gets rid of the excess instead of storing it, it is important that you eat a few vitamin C-rich foods (like watermelon!) every day. These are just a few of the ways that antioxidant vitamin C helps to keep the body healthy.
Watermelons also have a lot of the antioxidant vitamin A, which is well known around the world as being good for the eyes. On a more specific note, vitamin A is responsible for producing a substance in the body called retinol. It sounds familiar because it refers to the pigments found in the retina of the eye. Studies on pigs have shown that a serious lack of vitamin A can result in the offspring being born blind. Vitamin A can also be absorbed by sunlight, which is why some scientists believe that certain cave dwelling creatures are born blind regardless of the fact that they physically were capable of being born with retinas and therefore sight. But getting back on track now, one cup of watermelon has about 17% of your daily recommended allowance of vitamin A, which is a lot when you consider that a cup of watermelon goes down a lot faster than say, a medium sized carrot. A vitamin A deficiency could cause night blindness or poor night vision and could also cause your eyes to become excessively dry. Vitamin A is fat-soluble which means that the body stores the excess for a rainy day.
What are Antioxidants? : With all of this talk about watermelon nutrition, you might have gotten a little lost when we mentioned antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that have been proven to reduce the occurrence of “free radicals” in the human body. These radicals are a bit unstable and can easily react with other cells in the body, such as DNA cells. These cells are not properly formed versions of DNA and therefore are likely to flat-out die or they may simply not work as well as the fully formed cell would. It has been suggested that an overabundance of free radicals could result in the reproduction of cancer-prone cells. Studies have shown that antioxidants work to intercept the free radicals and the ensuing reaction prevents the malformed molecules from damaging the body’s vital cells.
Antioxidants have also been studied as a possible way to fight the signs of aging. Because antioxidants prevent badly formed cells from reproducing, it could possibly help to preserve the elasticity of the skin and preserve its youthful appearance. There has not been any 100% conclusive evidence of this, but the studies that have been conducted do seem to show that antioxidants show some promise in reducing the signs of aging as well as one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s, cancer, cardiovascular disease, as well as a number of other serious conditions.
Minerals : Watermelon nutrition also includes two vital minerals: potassium and magnesium. Potassium plays a very important part in the proper “flex and relax” movements of the body’s muscles, which is why people with a potassium deficiency often experience involuntary shaking and/or spasms as well as muscle cramps. Magnesium is an essential element in the formation and healthy maintenance of bones. It also helps the body to break down carbohydrates and turn them into a source of energy.
Lycopene and Citrulline : Lycopene and citrulline are a few more components of watermelon nutrition. Lycopene, like vitamins A and C, is an antioxidant that is also found in mangoes, papaya, carrots, and tomatoes. It is considered to be a highly effective antioxidant and is being looked into as a possible preventative of certain types of cancer—particularly prostate cancer.
Citrulline is an amino acid that can aid in the production of a compound that can actually cause the body’s blood vessels to relax. Studies suggest that this amino acid could possibly benefit people who suffer from erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure, and a few other heart-related conditions.
Watermelon is very beneficial to maintain proper health. There are several health benefits of the fruit Watermelon for good health.