Watermelon Juice: A Sweet Treat With Added Health Benefits

Watermelons have become synonymous with summer and picnics, and for good reason. Their refreshing quality and sweet taste help to combat the heat and also provide a guilt-free, low maintenance dessert for kids and adults alike to enjoy.

Watermelon, an all time favorite fruit for meals and snacks is actually a “vegetable”. The origin of watermelon can be traced back to early Egyptian civilization, which is still evident in the hieroglyphics on the wall paintings. The fruit was held in high regard and often placed on the tombs of many kings and pharaohs. Watermelon has played the role of a thirst quenching fruit in countries in the Mediterranean region due to the scarcity of water in those areas. The African slaves brought watermelon seeds to the western countries and eventually United States has turned out to be one of the leading commercial growers of watermelon. Recent researches show that watermelon is one of the major cucurbit crops in the world accounting for around 7% of world area devoted for vegetable crops.

The juicy watermelon has lots of vitamins and nutritional benefits

• It is fat free.
• It has very low sodium content.
• It is Cholesterol free.
• It is a good source of Vitamins A & C
• It is high in Lycopene content

Possible health benefits of watermelon juice

Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like watermelon decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality, diabetes, heart disease and promotes a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, overall lower weight.

1. Citrulline for Better Blood Flow

The amino acid citrulline is found in particularly high amounts in watermelon juice. Citrulline can be converted in your body into arginine, an essential amino acid for improving blood flow and relaxing blood vessels.

This positive effect on your cardiovascular system can have some interesting health benefits, from relaxation when stressed, to more energy with better blood flow and reducing muscle soreness after exercise.

2. Increased Nutrient Consumption

While it’s true that the fruit of a watermelon is full of all sorts of wonderful nutrients, the sad fact is that your body probably won’t be able to absorb much of those nutrients when you eat this fruit. However, when watermelon is juiced, this releases the nutrients into a form that’s much easier for your body to absorb.

3. Cancer

 As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C as well as other antioxidants, watermelon can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. Lycopene intake has been linked with a decreased risk of prostate cancer prevention in several studies.

4. Weight Loss Benefits

The same amino acid citrulline that watermelon juice is so rich in, has also been shown in animal studies (due to its conversion to arginine) to interfere with the accumulation of fat in fat cells. It does this by blocking the effects of an enzyme called TNAP involved in fat storage.

Animal studies are hardly conclusive, but drinking a glass of watermelon juice before a meal is great for hydration, high in nutrition and very low in calories – all helpful for losing weight.

5. Digestion and regularity

 Watermelon, because of its water and fiber content, helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

6. Get a Natural Energy Boost

Do you have a tendency to run out of energy midday? Instead of drinking one of those sugar-laden energy drinks which are ultimately not good for your health, why not try a glass of watermelon juice?

7. Asthma prevention

 The risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables including watermelon.

8. Watermelon Juice for Kidney Health

Watermelon juice is great for your kidneys, having a highly cleansing effect when you drink it. It helps to flush out ammonia and uric acid and has even been known to help with kidney stones.

Watermelon seeds can have an even more pronounced effect on your kidneys, so it’s recommended to buy your watermelons with the seeds if you’re using the juice for kidney cleansing.

9. Fight Inflammation and Avoid Inflammatory Diseases

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. As with most antioxidants, lycopene is highly effective at getting rid of free radicals, and free radicals are a major cause of inflammation. There are very few foods which serve as great sources of lycopene, and watermelon happens to be one of them.

10. Skin

Watermelon is also great for your skin because it contains vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair moisturized. Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair.

Bringing These Powerful Benefits into Your Everyday Life

With all the great watermelon juice benefits, it’s a good idea to make a habit of drinking a glass full of this amazing juice relatively often. The best way to make sure you get the benefit of all that the juice has to offer is to drink it when it’s at its freshest.

Recent study on watermelons has revealed that it has numerous health benefits. The red variety of watermelon contains high concentrations of Lycopene, an anti-oxidant that helps to reduce the risk of many diseases. Watermelon contains Lycopene and beta-carotene – these are plant compounds classified as Carotenoids, which are highly colored pigments that help protect plants against damage from sunlight. These antioxidants neutralize the harmful free radicals in the human body. Free radicals in the human body cause great deal of damage by oxidizing cholesterol and making it stick to the blood vessel walls, eventually leading to heart attack or stroke. Lycopene in watermelons get rid of these thereby reducing the risk of other fatal diseases such as asthma attacks, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer and other heart diseases.