As we all know, watermelon is a refreshing fruit for summer. But what else? Which nutrient does it contain? Do they also provide any health benefits? In this article, to learn more, Vivoo shares watermelon’s possible health benefits and nutritional content with you.
One serving (280 g) of watermelon provides:
- 53% of your daily vitamin A needs.
- 25% of your daily vitamin C needs.
- Almost 10% of your daily potassium needs.
- Almost 10% of your daily magnesium needs.
Benefits of Eating Watermelon
Packed With Essential Nutrients
One serving (280 g) of watermelon contains 84 calories, 1.7 g of protein, 21.1 g of carbohydrates, and 0.4 g of fat.
Watermelon is rich in nutrients, such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C. Vitamin C play an important role in supporting the body's immunity and increasing iron absorption, while vitamin A is essential for skin and eye health. Watermelon, which also contains potassium and magnesium, provides many effects, such as regulating blood pressure for heart health.
Watermelon also contains antioxidants, like carotenoids, lycopene, and cucurbitacin E. These compounds can help remove molecules known as free radicals, or reactive species, from the body. In this way, they can reduce oxidative stress. Although the body can naturally remove some free radicals, dietary antioxidants support this process.
Helps You Naturally Hydrated
Approximately 80% of our water intake comes from drinking water and other beverages, and the other 20% comes from food. For this reason, eating foods with high water content can support your hydration. Watermelon is approximately 90% water, which makes it useful for staying hydrated.
Furthermore, watermelon has very few calories for its total weight due to its high water content. Eating foods with low-calorie densities, like watermelon, may help with weight management by keeping you feeling full for longer.
Source Of Anti-cancer Nutrients
Watermelon contains dietary antioxidants such as vitamin C, cucurbitacin E, and lycopene, which may help prevent cancer.
Research shows that lycopene and cucurbitacin E intake may be linked to a lower risk of some types of cancer like colon, prostate, etc.
For this reason, adding antioxidant sources like watermelon to the diet is one of the keys to staying healthy.
Good For Heart Health
A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension suggested a link between fruit and heart disease. This is because consuming lycopene-rich foods reduces the risk of heart disease.
Studies suggest that lycopene may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It may help prevent oxidative damage caused by high cholesterol levels. It may also have blood pressure-lowering effects when consumed regularly through dietary means.
Watermelon also contains citrulline, an amino acid (protein building block) that can increase nitric oxide levels in your body. Nitric oxide helps lowers blood pressure by expanding your blood vessels.
However, keep in mind that your whole lifestyle affects your heart health. So make sure you also exercise, don’t smoke, limit saturated fat, and eat whole-grain foods.
May Relieve Muscle Pain
Citrulline, an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein found in watermelon, may relieve achy muscles.
A study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that athletes who drank watermelon juice experienced reduced muscle pain for up to 24 hours. Because this compound helps expand blood vessels, your heart doesn’t need to work as hard to pump blood through your body.
For this reason, adding watermelon to your diet is beneficial if you exercise regularly.
Good For Skin Health
Collagen is well known for its importance to our skin. Vitamin C in watermelon supports our collagen formation.
In addition, vitamin C protects healthy skin against aging by reducing wrinkles and skin dryness.
Not only that, but the vitamin A contained in watermelon also helps build and repair skin cells. It also protects your skin against sun damage due to the lycopene it contains. A study even reported that regular consumption of foods containing lycopene increases the skin's defense against UV rays and supports longer-term protection with sunscreens.
Side Effects of Watermelon
Watermelon truly has a high FODMAP content.
FODMAPs are a group of fermentable short-chain carbohydrates that cannot be digested or are absorbed slowly in the small intestine.
Therefore, eating too much watermelon can cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, gas and diarrhea.
Does watermelon cause stomach acid?
Watermelon does not increase stomach acid. A small 2017 study showed that eating foods high in water, such as watermelon and cantaloupe, helps dilute stomach acid, so people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have less frequent acid reflux symptoms.
Is watermelon OK with acid reflux?
Watermelon, melon, and other foods with high water content, vitamin, and mineral content are among good foods for acid reflux because they help neutralize stomach acid. However, since everyone is different, you should consider removing it from your diet if you think it triggers you.
Then it's time to incorporate the ideal portion of watermelon into your diet.
