Summer and watermelon are inseparable. Watermelons are found almost everywhere in the world. Although we can find watermelons in our markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. No other fruit can we find so crunchy and thirst quenching like watermelon.
Benefits
The health benefits of watermelon are really great. No matter
how it is sliced, it is packed with some of the most important antioxidants
found in nature.
It is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin
A, particularly through its concentration of beta-carotene.
The beautiful red watermelon is also a source of the potent carotene
antioxidant which is called lycopene. These antioxidants travel throughout
the body neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the
body that can cause much damage to us. They are able to oxidize cholesterol,
making it stick to blood vessel walls and thicken them which can lead to
hearty attack or stroke. The lycopene which gives fruits the attractive red
color that we find in watermelon can help reduce the risks of prostate
cancer.
It is a surprising fact that watermelon is the only fruit that contains
higher concentrations of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable.
Watermelon is a fruit that is rich in electrolytes
sodium and potassium that we lose through our perspiration.
Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production.
Food experts recommend watermelon as a very good source of vitamin B6 and a
good source of vitamin B1 and magnesium. Because of its higher water content
approximately ninety percent and calorie value it is ranked more valuable
than other fruits.
Watermelon has a special cooling effect and is exceptionally high in citrulline, an amino acid that our bodies use to make another amino acid,
arginine, which is used in the urea cycle to remove ammonia from the body.
The antioxidants help reducing the severity of asthma. It also reduces
the risk of colon cancer, asthma, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and
prostate cancer.
Watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium which
protect our body from so many diseases.
Watermelon is fat free but helps energy production. It protects against
macular degeneration.
