Around the world, there are over 1200 varieties of watermelon. Egyptians place it among the food fit for a king that it is placed in the tombs of many Pharaohs. The first record of watermelon harvest was written 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
Watermelon, definitely not a misnomer, is 92% water. Nevertheless, don’t think that water is what it is all about. The remaining 8% is packed with healthy goodies that promote good nutrition.
1. Lycopene
Tomatoes are what you may have in mind, but deep red watermelons have dethroned tomatoes as the lycopene king. This red pigment is a very important antioxidant. Beta-carotene and Vitamin E’s antioxidant abilities, neutralizing singlet oxygen radicals, fail in comparison to what the watermelon version offers.
2. Potassium
Potassium helps muscle and nerve function. Inflammation that contributes to the ill-effects of conditions like colon cancer, asthma, and arthritis can be eased by the watermelon’s potassium content.
3. Diuretic Qualities
Before the days of dialysis, watermelons had begun their work as diuretic. They are also used as a homeopathic treatment for dialysis patients.
4. Citrulline
According to a Texas A&M study, the citrulline that triggers a compound responsible for relaxed blood vessels is also found in watermelons. Viagra has a similar effect.
Although watermelons have high sugar content (10 grams per cup), It is a good source for many things such as these:
- One cup of diced watermelon has 1 gram of protein and 1.52 milligrams of sodium.
- It has 0.02 grams of saturated fat in a cup of diced watermelon. 0.23 grams of fat is also found in the same measure.
- It is also an ideal diet food, containing only 45 calories per cup.
- Trace amounts of copper, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc are also in watermelon.
- Trace amounts of vitamin K and pantothenic acid are packed in them, too.
- Excellent source of Vitamin A and C, and small amounts of Vitamin B.
There is just one quick tip before you gulp down some watermelon chunks:
Always eat watermelons at room temperature. Make sure to pull it out of the fridge long enough for it to adjust to room temperature. Doing so makes the capacity of its phytonutrient maximized.
