A favourite fruit of the season during the summer, watermelon is also a sight to behold. It’s also very healthy for you. Here are eight of the fruit’s most significant health advantages, tips for choosing perfectly ripe fruit, and ideas for using it in meals, snacks, drinks, and desserts.

Benefits Of Watermelon

Watermelon is a delicious and refreshing fruit that provides several health benefits. Here are some of the benefits of watermelon:

1. Watermelon Keeps You Hydrated

This fruit is named after water, not by accident. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that a cup of watermelon has about five ounces of water (about the size of a yoghurt container). Consuming enough liquids, including water-rich foods, supports digestion, skin health, and blood circulation.

According to a 2013 article in the Health & Fitness Journal of the ACSM, it also aids in controlling body temperature, organ and joint function, metabolism, appetite, and waste elimination. The ability to think clearly is also affected by proper hydration.

The same study published in ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal demonstrates how even a small loss of body fluid—between 1% and 3%—can affect mood, impair concentration, exacerbate headaches and fatigue, impair working memory, and increase anxiety.

2. It Has Key Nutrients And Few Calories

Contrary to popular belief, watermelon contains less sugar and calories. According to the USDA, one cup of watermelon has 45 calories and 11 grams of carbohydrates, nine of which are naturally occurring sugar.

Along with potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, and health-preserving antioxidants, this natural sweetness also contains vitamins A and C, which support the immune system and skin health.

3. It Helps Lower Blood Pressure And Improves Circulation

L-citrulline, a natural substance in watermelon (particularly in the white part of the rind), has improved artery function and lowered blood pressure by helping blood vessels relax and improving circulation.

A 2017 Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care study also shows that L-citrulline may improve muscle oxygenation and athletic performance during endurance exercise.

4. It Reduces Muscle Soreness

According to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, athletes who drank 16 ounces of watermelon juice an hour before exercise felt less sore afterwards and recovered their heart rates more quickly than those who drank a placebo.

Another study on male runners found that those who drank 16 ounces of watermelon juice enriched with L-citrulline two hours before participating in half-marathon races reported less perceived muscle soreness for up to 72 hours compared to those who drank a placebo beverage. The study was published in a 2017 issue of Food & Nutrition Research.

5. It Can Lead To Healthy Weight Management

When watermelon is used as a weight-management tool instead of a processed sweet snack, it may support healthy weight management. A 2019 study published in the journal Nutrients examined changes in weight and satiety in overweight and obese adults following a four-week intervention.

During the study, a second group was given low-fat cookies with the same number of calories as the watermelon. In contrast, the first group was instructed to regularly consume two cups of fresh watermelon.

Snacks could be consumed at any time of day, in a single sitting or over several, alone or in combination with other foods. Researchers discovered that satiety—diminished hunger, increased fullness, and a decreased desire to eat—lasted up to 90 minutes after eating and was more strongly induced by watermelon than cookies.

The watermelon eaters also improved their blood lipids and antioxidant status, lost weight, had lower waist-to-hip ratios and blood pressure, and lost weight.

6. Watermelon Offers Digestive Support

Although watermelon doesn’t have a lot of fibre, the fibre it does have helps to maintain a healthy gut. According to a 2016 study published in Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, the fruit also contains liquid and prebiotics, a fibre that promotes the growth and/or activity of helpful bacteria in the large intestine.

Prebiotics have been linked to a strong immune system, anti-inflammation, and a cheerful mood. Prebiotics also increase the absorption of minerals, raise insulin and blood sugar levels, and may prevent colon cancer.

7. It Helps Defend Against Disease

A 2014 study in Experimental and Clinical Sciences found that watermelon is one of the best sources of lycopene. Antioxidant lycopene is well-known for preventing oxidative stress, which develops when there is an imbalance between the body’s capacity to combat harmful free radicals and the production of cells-damaging free radicals.

Lycopene lowers the risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, other chronic diseases, and neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s. Traditional pink flesh watermelons have the most lycopene and have more antioxidants than their yellow and orange counterparts.

8. It May Protect Your Skin

It might provide some skin protection if you enjoy watermelon and make the most of it while it’s in season. Vitamins A and C in watermelon support healthy skin, and the fruit’s lycopene content might prevent sun damage, though the effects take time.

According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating tomato paste containing 16 mg of lycopene can lessen skin damage from the sun. A cup and a half of watermelon has about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene in it, according to the USDA.