Watermelon is known to many for its sweet and delicious flavour and has grown in popularity through the UK. Yet, in many cases people will overlook it and prioritise other fruits, thinking that they will provide better health benefits. However, what we don’t realise is that watermelon has a lot to give and it can serve as an amazing ingredient in juices and smoothies!
Hyper Hydration
Hydrating ourselves correctly is a challenge that many people struggle with currently in the UK. Often it can be tough to find time to grab a drink and a life attached to a screen can make us forget our body’s needs. Therefore, being able to hydrate ourselves with food is a good way to achieve a better balance.
So, where does watermelon come into all this? Well, as some of you may already know, watermelons are made up of 92% water. This makes it an amazing source of hydration, even among fruits. On top of that this high-water content also helps you to feel full, so it’s also a good snack to fill up on if you’re peckish.
Nutrients Galore
It’s the 21st century, so we’ve all heard enough times that fruits and vegetables are good for you. The watermelon is no exception to this rule, but what does it contain exactly?
- Potassium
- Iron
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
These are the 4 most abundant chemicals to be found in watermelons and they each help to strengthen the body against wear and tear. Another chemical yet to be mentioned is lycopene. This is a carotenoid that makes the inside of a watermelon red and recently it’s been linked with helping to prevent a range of medical issues. So, if you want to try and decrease your risks of: cancer, heart disease, inflammation and general sore joints then maybe you should start getting more watermelons into your diet!
Now I’m sure some of you will read that and pass it off as just another “cancer cure” chemical, so instead of simply stating information let’s back it up with some evidence. Starting with cancer prevention, it’s important to be clear that this isn’t some end all problems cure. It has produced mixed results, but it has seemed positive overall with the prevention of digestive cancers. This is down to lycopene keeping levels of insulin growth factor low. This factor is a protein involved in cell division and so far, it seems the higher the levels are of it, the higher the risks of digestive cancer are.
Lycopene also has the advantage of being an amazing antioxidant. This may not seem like much, but this quality allows it to be effective at balancing out cholesterol in your blood stream and helps to protect you against atherosclerosis. Reducing your risk of atherosclerosis in turn reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Head Health
So far, we’ve only discussed the benefits for the inner workings of the body and while it’s important to keep ourselves healthy on the inside, we also want to seem it on the outside! Well, unsurprisingly Watermelon can help here too through the high levels of Vitamins A and C previously mentioned. Both of these vitamins are renowned for a positive impact on the health of hair and skin.
Vitamin C is a good natural way to build up your collagen levels. Collagen is a flexible fibrous protein that can be found in the hair and skin, but over time it breaks down. This causes our skin to loosen and wrinkle and our hair to lose its strength and sheen. So, by keeping your collagen levels high you will be able to look younger for longer.
Vitamin A plays a very different role in helping the skin. It is responsible for creating and repairing cells, keeping a healthy cycle through our bodies. Providing your body with plenty of Vitamin A is a sure-fire way to prevent your skin from looking dry and flaky.