How healthy is watermelon?

Watermelon is delicious on a summer day. In this article you will discover the most important health benefits of this fruit.

You can also read whether eating watermelon helps if you want to lose weight.

As the name implies, watermelon contains a lot of water . As a result, the fruit can help prevent dehydration.

Contents:

• Facts about watermelon
• Why watermelon is healthy
• Nutritional value 
• Watermelon and losing weight

Facts about watermelon

• About 5,000 years ago, Egyptians placed watermelons in the tombs of their kings for use in the afterlife.
• Today, China is the largest producer of watermelons.
• Merchants introduced this fruit to the inhabitants of China in the 10th ^{century .}
• Watermelon is now a beloved fruit around the world[1], as is the cantaloupe melon.

Why watermelon is healthy

Watermelon is rich in moisture and also contains important vitamins and minerals. Think of vitamins A, B and C, zinc , iron and calcium . The fruit has several benefits for our health.

1. May help reduce muscle pain

Watermelon contains a substance that relaxes blood vessels and promotes circulation. This can contribute to less muscle pain after exercise. This is great if you are just starting to exercise or if you are training intensively.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry shows the effect of watermelon on muscles. Participants who drank watermelon juice before exercise had less muscle pain 24 hours later than those who did not [1-4].

Summary: Research shows that watermelon may help reduce muscle pain.

2. Good for the heart

Watermelons contain a large amount of the substance lycopene [1,2,5,6,7]. This substance gives watermelon its characteristic pink-red color. According to research from Purdue University, lycopene is beneficial for heart health. This is said to be because the substance contributes to healthy cholesterol levels and healthy blood pressure.

Researchers from Florida State University discovered that other substances in watermelon can also have a positive effect on the heart [2,8]. Think of vitamins A, C and B6. The fruit also contains substances that dilate blood vessels, allowing blood to flow better.

Summary: Several substances in watermelon are good for the heart.

3. Helps cells stay healthy

Lycopene from watermelon is not only good for your heart, but also for your cells. Several studies have shown that the cells of various organs, such as the lungs and the uterus, remain healthier if you regularly consume lycopene [5,9].

Furthermore, watermelon contains many antioxidants, just like pineapple , avocado , banana and apple . Antioxidants help to combat harmful free radicals. These are substances that your body needs to fight bacteria and viruses. Too many free radicals can make you sick. Antioxidants counteract this.

Summary: Watermelon can protect your body against free radicals and thus contribute to healthy cells.

4. Promotes skin and hair health

The vitamin A in watermelon ensures that your hair stays hydrated. The vitamin helps your scalp to produce sebum. Sebum nourishes your hair and protects it from drying out. Other substances in watermelon contribute to the growth of your hair.

In addition to vitamin A, watermelon also contains vitamin C. Both vitamins promote the production of collagen. Collagen ensures that the skin maintains its healthy structure and helps prevent hair loss [1,9]. The large amount of moisture in watermelon also contributes to healthy skin. It helps to hydrate the skin from within.

Summary: The vitamin A in watermelon is good for the hair. In combination with vitamin C, it is also good for the skin.

5. Prevents dehydration

Because watermelon consists of 92% water , the fruit can help prevent dehydration. With one portion of watermelon (about 150 grams) you get almost 140 ml of water. This is especially good in the summer, when you lose a lot of moisture due to the heat.

Because watermelon contains many minerals, the fruit also helps to replenish the mineral supply in your body. That’s nice if you sweat a lot and lose a lot of minerals. With watermelon you get calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese.

The fruit can also contribute to a healthy body temperature and blood pressure. This makes this fruit effective against heat stroke [1,5,9].

Summary: Watermelon is beneficial for your fluid balance as well as for your body temperature and blood pressure due to its high moisture content.

6. Contributes to healthy kidneys

Watermelon contains a large amount of the mineral potassium , which has a positive effect on the kidneys. For example, potassium is needed to clear harmful substances from the kidneys [5]. If your kidneys are free of these substances, they can do their cleansing work better.

Your kidneys are important for good health. They belong to the so-called detoxifying organs, just like the liver, intestines, lymphatic system and skin. The kidneys ensure that waste products and toxins can leave your body through the urine.

Summary: Watermelon is rich in potassium. This mineral is beneficial for the kidneys.

7. Good for the resistance

Watermelon gives your resistance a big boost with the vitamins and minerals the fruit contains. Vitamins A and C contribute to a strong immune system. Vitamin C also helps with the absorption of iron from food. This mineral in turn has a resistance-enhancing effect, just like copper.

The B vitamins B6 and folic acid (vitamin B11) also contribute to a strong immune system. Watermelon contains all the vitamins and minerals mentioned. You can also eat this fruit to boost your resistance.

Summary: Watermelon contains resistance-boosting vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and iron.

Nutritional value of watermelon

A 152 gram portion of watermelon contains the following nutritional values ​​[10]:

• Energy: 46 kcal (calories)
• Carbohydrates: 11 grams
  – Sugars: 9 grams
• Proteins: 1 gram
• Fats: 0 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram

Vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin A: 17% RDI
• Vitamin C: 21% RDI
• Vitamin E: 0% RDA
• Vitamin K: 0% RDA
• Calcium: 1% RDA
• Folic acid: 1% RDA
• Magnesium: 4% RDI
• Potassium: 5% RDA
• Copper: 3% RDA
• Manganese: 3% RDA

In addition to these vitamins and minerals, a portion of watermelon also contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6, zinc and iron.

Watermelon and losing weight

Watermelon contains no fat, provides few calories and is rich in vitamins and minerals. In addition, this type of fruit contains a large amount of moisture. This ensures that you feel full for a long time. Watermelon is therefore a suitable fruit if you want to lose some weight .

But beware: Like other fruits, watermelon contains fruit sugar ( fructose ). When you eat a lot of watermelon, you also get a lot of these fruit sugars. This could hinder weight loss.

It is important to combine watermelon with other healthy foods. If you eat up to two portions of watermelon per day, you will not consume too much sugar. This way you can lose weight and reap the benefits of watermelon at the same time.