Health Benefits of Eating Watermelon

Watermelon is a delicious and refreshing fruit that's also good for you.
It contains only 45 calories per cup but is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and many healthy plant compounds.
Here are the Top 5 health benefits of eating watermelon.
Helps You Hydrate
Drinking water is an important way to keep your body hydrated.
However, eating foods that have a high water content can also help.
Interestingly, watermelon is 92% water.
What's more a high water content is one of the reasons why fruits and vegetables help you feel full.
The combination of water and fiber means you're eating a good volume of food without a lot calories.

2. Contains Nutrients and Beneficial Plant Compounds

As far as fruits go, watermelon is one of the lowest in calories -- only 46 calories per cup ( 154 grams). That's lower than even low- sugar fruits such as berries.
One cup ( 154 grams) of watermelon has many others nutrients as well

including these vitamin and minerals:

➤ Vitamin C: 21% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
➤ Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
➤ Potassium: 5% of the RDI
➤ Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
➤ Vitamin B1, B5 and B6: 3% of the RDI

Watermelon is also high in carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lycopene. Plus, it has citrulline, an important antioxidants:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage from free redicals.

Carotenoids

Carotenoids are a class of plant compounds that includes alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A.

Good for Skin and Hair

Two vitamins in watermelon - A and C- are important for skin and hair health.
Vitamin C help your body make collagen, a protein that keeps your skin supple end your hair strong.
Vitamin A is also important for healthy skin since it help create and repair skin cells. Without enough vitamin A, your skin can look dry and flaky.
Both lycopene and beta-carotene may also help protect your skin from sunburn.

May Improve Heart Health

Heart diseases is the number one causes of death worldwide.
Lifestyle factors, including diet, may lower your risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Several nutrients in watermelon have specific benefits for heart health.
Studies suggest that lycopene may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It can also help prevent oxidative damage to cholesterol.
According to studies in obese, postmenopausal women and finnish men lycopene may also reduce the stiffness and thickness of artery walls.
Watermelon also contains citrulline, and amino acid that may increase nitric oxide levels in the body. Nitric oxide help your blood vessels expand, which lowers blood pressure.
Other vitamin and minerals in watermelon are also good for your heart.
These include vitamin A, B6, C magnesium and potassium.

May Help Relieve Muscle Soreness

Citrulline, an amino acid in watermelon, may reduce muscle soreness. It's also available as a supplement.
Interestingly, watermelon juice appears to enhance the absorption of citrulline.
One small study gave athletes plain watermelon juice, watermelon juice mixed with citrulline or a citrulline drink. Both watermelon drinks led to less muscle soreness and quicker heart rate recovery, compared to citrulline on its own.
The researchers also conducted a test-tube experiment, investigating the absorption of citrulline. Their findings suggest that citrulline absorption is most effective when it's consumed as a component of watermelon juice.
Other research has also looked at citrulline's potential to improve exercise endurance and performance.
So far. citrulline doesn't seem to improve exercise performance in the amounts studied, but it's still and area of research interest.