On a steamy summer’s day, there are few things more refreshing than crisp, juicy watermelon. However, consider it more than just a symbol of summertime enjoyment. Think of it as a nutritional powerhouse. When you get older, the nutrients in watermelon can really help. In fact, several of these nutrients are more abundant in watermelon than in any other fresh fruit or vegetable. “What a gift that we can have something like watermelon that is naturally sweet, delicious, filling and just chock-full of beneficial nutrients when we’re looking to put healthy things in our diet,” says Samantha Cassetty, a registered dietitian in New York.
Watermelon should be on your buying list for the following five reasons:
1. Makes your skin appear younger
Apart from its refreshing quality, this could be the reason watermelon is the perfect fruit for summer: It’s loaded with lycopene, the plant-based pigment that gives tomatoes their red colour. It can shield your skin from UV rays, according to studies. Lycopene provides advantages for your skin and inside health; in fact, it’s used in several sunscreen products. Scientists believed that tomatoes were the best food source of the chemical for many years. However, it turns out that raw tomatoes only offer 40% of the nutrients that ruby-red watermelon does.
“According to Diane McKay, an assistant professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at the Tufts University School of Medicine, “watermelon is really, really, really one of the best sources of lycopene.” Another source is tomatoes, however in order to release the majority of the lycopene from the cell, you must cook the tomato. Watermelon requires no preparation; it is simply chopped and consumed.”
The fruit offers more than just lycopene as sun protection. Additionally, a two-cup serving provides one-quarter to one-half of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which helps shields your skin from UV radiation damage.
But take note: even if these nutrients derived from plants can help you protect yourself from UV radiation, sunscreen is still necessary. Watermelon can be thought of as an internal second line of defence.
Vitamin C and lycopene do more to maintain the youthful appearance of your skin. Additionally, these nutrients help collagen, which gives things structure. That may aid in avoiding wrinkles and fine lines.
According to Cassetty, “it could help your skin age better, with fewer signs of premature wrinkling and ageing,” when combined with a healthy diet.
2. Protects your eyes
There are other foods besides Bugs Bunny’s favourite that can protect your vision. Similar to carrots, watermelon has a number of nutrients that help reduce your chance of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Lycopene: According to one study, lycopene may as much as 30% lower the risk of macular degeneration. According to additional research, it may help shield you from cataracts.
Vitamin C: Research has shown that consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables, as opposed to taking supplements, can reduce the risk of cataract development.
Lutein and zeaxanthin: Data from over 50,000 Americans were examined in a 2022 study that was published in the journal Nutrients. Researchers discovered that people who consumed watermelon had greater lutein and zeaxanthin levels than those who did not. The health of your eyes depends on those two plant-based substances.
Vitamin A: Carrots are known for their ability to improve vision, and watermelon also contains some of this mineral.
3. Reduces blood pressure
L-citrulline, an amino acid you may not be familiar with, supports healthy blood vessel function. And the greatest food source available might just be watermelon.
Researchers examined past research on the effects of citrulline and watermelon on cardio-metabolic health in 2021. Blood pressure was examined in eight articles. Eating watermelon flesh, juice, or extract was proven to help decrease it in seven of them.
According to Cassetty, citrulline “is really good for your blood vessels.” “And what you really want is to have blood vessels that are flexible enough to widen and allow blood to flow without becoming stiff or sluggish.”
Multiple nutrients are involved in this, just like they are in your skin and eyes. Back to lycopene: it also aids in the management of hypertension. Furthermore, watermelon has some potassium, which helps lessen the impact of too much sodium on blood pressure.
4. Enhances your diet
The fruit’s name, watermelon, comes from the fact that 92% of it is water. With all that water, a two-cup serving only contains ninety calories. However, it still provides you with ample amounts of various nutrients. Additionally, studies indicate that including watermelon in your diet improves your general eating habits.
According to a 2022 study that was published in the journal Nutrients, those who consumed watermelon had diets that were noticeably healthier than those of those who did not. In addition to consuming more fibre, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene, they also consumed less added sugar and harmful fat.
Another study examined the potential health benefits of eating watermelon in general. For four weeks, a group of individuals who were overweight or obese were given two cups of watermelon every day. They consumed a daily cookie equivalent in calories for four weeks after a break. Despite having the same amount of calories in both snacks, the individuals’ body weight increased after eating cookies for a month and decreased after eating watermelon. After consuming melon, participants reported feeling full for up to two hours, but only after 20 minutes after consuming cookies.
According to McKay, that’s most likely because of the melon’s fibre and water content. First of all, fibre slows down the rate at which your body absorbs sugar. “However, the watermelon’s fibre and water content can help increase the volume of tissue in your stomach, prolonging the feeling of fullness and consequently decreasing your appetite,” she explains.
5. Watermelon seeds and rind provide additional nutrients and fibre.
Like most people, you probably just eat the red portion of this iconic summer fruit. However, every part of the watermelon is edible, just like its botanical cousin the cucumber. Eating the peel, which comprises an astounding 40% of the melon, does more for you than just save landfill space. There are significant health benefits for you.
For example, compared to the flesh of the watermelon, the rind has more than ten times the amount of fibre and less sugar. It also has 50% more citrulline, which lowers blood pressure. Although consuming watermelon rind extract isn’t the same as eating the rind itself, studies have shown that it may be able to prevent cancer.
“Unless you really want to, there’s no need to throw out the rind,” Cassetty asserts. “Eating the entire fruit will reduce food waste and provide some unexpected health benefits due to its abundance of nutrients.”
You might never throw the rind out after you see how many uses it has. Consider canning watermelon rinds. Or adopt Cassetty’s recommendations: Chop the rind and use it to stir-fries, smoothies, and hot or cold soups.
Just make sure you give your watermelon a thorough cleaning on the outside first. When the knife is inserted, any bacteria on it could be drawn into the flesh and cause a foodborne illness.