Watermelon is one of the most popular fruit in the world. Native to the southern region of Africa, the alkaline fruit was brought to the Americas with colonizers in the late 1500s. A great thing about watermelon is that it’s packed with health benefits. The fruit has been proven to lower both blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It has also shown to prevent heart disease and cancer, which is why people should implement it into their diets.
Watermelon has lycopene in it. Lycopene is an antioxidant that can help to prevent the risk of cancer and heart disease in people. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, lycopene consumption may be effective in preventing breast, lung, stomach and prostate cancer.
Having high blood pressure can lead to heart disease or a stroke. Eating watermelon regularly may help a person decrease those risk factors, according to the Department of Nutrition at Florida State University.
Scientists documented the effects of consuming watermelon for blood pressure on pre-hypertensive participants. The results were published in the “American Journal of Hypertension.” In the study, the researchers showed that in only six-week of implementing watermelon, it lowered the subjects blood pressure and improved the health and function of arteries.
Watermelon helps to reduce circulating blood sugar levels in humans and animals, according to a study in the December 2007 issue of the “Journal of Nutrition.” Insulin is an essential hormone in the blood that regulates blood sugar. When the body doesn’t respond properly to insulin, blood sugar remain in the bloodstream, according to PubMed Health. The body reacts by producing more insulin, and the excess insulin and sugar in the bloodstream have an adverse effect on the kidneys and triglyceride levels.
Watermelons contain many important nutrients needed for healthy bones, skin and teeth and may play a role in fighting heart disease and cancer, according to MedlinePlus.com. The fruit helps to maintain healthy eyesight and strengthens the immune system, explains the Linus Pauling Institute.
