Nothing is extra refreshing on a sizzling summer season day than a thick slice of chilly watermelon.
However, there’s way more to this iconic summer season staple than you may think. Except for being candy and scrumptious, watermelon can be full of well being advantages.
Listed here are 9 the reason why dietitians say watermelon must be in your procuring checklist this summer season.
Consuming watermelon helps your physique shed extra fluid with out releasing an excessive amount of sodium or potassium, in keeping with Louisa Mason, MS, RDN, LDN, CSCS, a sports activities dietitian and power coach at Revive Sports activities Restoration. This can be a actual plus in the summertime when you should maintain your electrolytes balanced.
As a result of watermelon is over 90% water, it will possibly assist maintain you hydrated, particularly within the canine days of summer season.
Watermelon may also be used to interchange ice cubes. “For those who want a cool option to improve the flavour of water, create watermelon cubes as a substitute of ice cubes in your freezer,” added Blake. “Pop a couple of in a tall glass of water.”
Mason mentioned watermelon incorporates L-citrulline, which may assist blood move and scale back muscle soreness. The fruit’s mixture of water, pure sugars, potassium, magnesium, and even a little bit of B6 works collectively to assist your physique bounce again after a tough exercise.
Some researchers have discovered that ingesting watermelon juice improves post-workout restoration and coronary heart charge and reduces soreness.
The identical L-citrulline in watermelon that helps your muscular tissues additionally helps higher blood move to the mind. Moreover, watermelon incorporates vitamin B6, which is concerned in making neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, in keeping with Mason.
Moreover, a research in postmenopausal ladies discovered that day by day watermelon juice raised blood ranges of lycopene by over 80%, which may assist shield the mind from long-term oxidative stress.
Sleeping in the summertime just isn’t all the time simple, particularly on a sizzling evening. However consuming a bit of watermelon earlier than mattress could assist.
In a single research on folks with stressed legs, taking these two vitamins day by day helped enhance sleep inside two months. “Watermelon gained’t hit these scientific doses, however as a night snack, it may assist you to unwind with out the crash of heavier desserts,” added Mason.
Consuming watermelon supplies potassium, nutritional vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber. “Consider it as a refreshing summer season multivitamin—with out the capsule,” Jennifer Pallian, BSc, RD, a registered dietitian, meals scientist, and recipe developer, informed Well being.
The truth is, it stands out amongst fruits as a result of its exceptionally excessive ranges of beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lycopene, added Pallian.
In keeping with Pallian, watermelon additionally incorporates lycopene in concentrations equal to or better than tomatoes, making it a potent supply of this heart-protective and anti inflammatory compound.
Watermelon can increase your saliva manufacturing, doesn’t cling to your enamel, and is much much less acidic than many different fruits, in keeping with Sandip Sachar, DDS, a New York Metropolis dentist with a background in vitamin research.
Saliva is your physique’s built-in protection system. It helps rinse away meals particles, neutralizes acids produced by cavity-causing micro organism, and performs a key position in defending your enamel and stopping tooth decay, mentioned Dr. Sachar.
You normally don’t wish to really feel bloated throughout summer season, particularly if you happen to’re attempting to remain energetic and benefit from the heat climate. Consuming watermelon persistently could also be simply what you want as a result of it’s about 90% water, and that water helps maintain your digestive tract hydrated.
Watermelon could assist maintain blood vessels versatile by growing nitric oxide, which makes it simpler for blood to maneuver by means of your physique, mentioned Mason.
Watermelon additionally reduces systolic blood strain, whole ldl cholesterol, and LDL ldl cholesterol, added Pallian. “These results are linked to its wealthy provide of L-citrulline and arginine—amino acids which can be precursors within the nitric oxide pathway … Extra nitric oxide means higher blood move and higher blood move means a more healthy coronary heart,” mentioned Pallian.
Regardless of the way you slice it, watermelon is full of scrumptious goodness and a variety of well being advantages.
Not solely can it maintain you hydrated on a sizzling summer season’s day, however it will possibly additionally maintain issues shifting in your intestine, increase your temper, and assist your muscular tissues get better after a summer season exercise or a protracted hike on the seashore.
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