08/14/2023
Yes, Watermelons are tasty and cooling when temperatures are high..
It’s summer watermelon season who knew that watermelon had so many health benefits!
Watermelon is a fruit that offers various health benefits. It contains phytochemicals such as lycopene, vitamin C, β-carotene, and total polyphenolic content, which possess anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties (Maoto et al., 2019). These phytochemicals contribute to the potential use of watermelon as a functional ingredient in food applications (Maoto et al., 2019). Watermelon is also a rich source of l-citrulline, a neutral-alpha amino acid that is the precursor of l-arginine, an essential amino acid necessary for protein synthesis (Manivannan et al., 2020). Supplementation of l-citrulline has been shown to have cardiovascular and anti-hypertensive capabilities (Allerton et al., 2018). Watermelon consumption has been associated with the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, and has been shown to improve aortic hemodynamics (Ridwan et al., 2018). Additionally, watermelon has been used to treat various ailments such as obesity, diabetes, ulcers, and various types of cancers (Manivannan et al., 2020).
In terms of weight management, watermelon consumption has been found to elicit robust satiety responses, leading to lower hunger and greater fullness compared to low-fat cookies (Lum et al., 2019). It has also been shown to decrease body weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, and waist-to-hip ratio (Lum et al., 2019). Watermelon consumption has been associated with reductions in oxidative stress and an increase in total antioxidant capacity in the blood (Lum et al., 2019).
Watermelon is not only beneficial when consumed as a fruit, but other parts of the watermelon plant, such as the seeds and rinds, also contain antioxidant properties (Pérez et al., 2022). The seeds and rinds are often discarded as waste during the production of watermelon juice (Pérez et al., 2022).
In conclusion, watermelon offers a range of health benefits due to its phytochemical content, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. It has been associated with the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, weight management, and improvements in satiety responses. The various parts of the watermelon plant, including the seeds and rinds, also contain beneficial compounds. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these health benefits and to explore the potential use of watermelon in preventing and treating various diseases.
References:
Allerton, T., Proctor, D., Stephens, J., Dugas, T., Spielmann, G., Irving, B. (2018). L-citrulline Supplementation: Impact On Cardiometabolic Health. Nutrients, 7(10), 921. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10070921
Lum, T., Connolly, M., Marx, A., Beidler, J., Hooshmand, S., Kern, M., … & Hong, M. (2019). Effects Of Fresh Watermelon Consumption On
the Acute Satiety Response And Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Overweight And Obese Adults. Nutrients, 3(11), 595. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030595
Manivannan, A., Lee, E., Han, K., Kim, J., Kim, D. (2020). Versatile Nutraceutical Potentials Of Watermelon—a Modest Fruit Loaded With Pharmaceutically Valuable Phytochemicals. Molecules, 22(25), 5258. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225258
Maoto, M., Beswa, D., Jideani, A. (2019). Watermelon As a Potential Fruit Snack. International Journal of Food Properties, 1(22), 355-370. https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2019.1584212
Pérez, J., Gómez, K., Vega, L. (2022). Optimization and Preliminary Physicochemical Characterization Of Pectin Extraction From Watermelon Rind (Citrullus Lanatus) With Citric Acid. International Journal of Food Science, (2022), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3068829
Ridwan, R., Razak, H., Adenan, M., Saad, W. (2018). Development Of Isocratic Rp-hplc Method For Separation and Quantification Of L-citrulline And L-arginine In Watermelons. International Journal of Analytical Chemistry, (2018), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4798530
Dr. Christopher Hobbs Ph.D.
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