9 Watermelon Benefits That Make It A Must-Add In Your Diet!

Watermelons belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and one of the top watermelons benefits is its ability to quench your thirst, especially in the summer! It was first domesticated for water and food in northeastern Africa nearly 4,000 years ago [1]. With around 90% water content, watermelon helps hydrate your body and satisfy your sugar cravings with its natural sugar.

Owing to its nutritional content, there are many benefits of eating watermelon for your overall health. These health benefits of watermelon can be attributed to its antioxidant content, low calorie count, essential vitamins, and more. Read on to know the top 9 health benefits of watermelon.

Provides hydration 

Hydration is key to ensuring that your body functions are healthy and normal. Functions like regulating body temperature, reaching nutrition to cells, alertness, and organ movements heavily rely on your body being adequately hydrated. With around 90% of water content, hydration is one of the top watermelons benefits you can rely on [2].

May prevent asthma 

With vitamin C content that helps you meet 14-16% of your daily needs, asthma prevention is one of the benefits of eating watermelon. Vitamin C in watermelons can help reduce the oxidative damage in lungs that can lead to asthma. Though studies have not yet proved that vitamin C can prevent asthma, it can help provide protection. Having sufficient vitamin C is also among the top tips to boost your immunity. Vitamin C is also one of the best ways to increase immunity in kids.

Boosts heart health 

Maintaining your heart health is of utmost importance because of the vital role it plays. Improving cardiovascular health is one of the top watermelons benefits for men and women. The heart healthy benefits of eating watermelon come from a nutrient called lycopene. It helps reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and oxidative damage.

Reduces muscle soreness 

An amino acid called citrulline is found in watermelon and can help you relieve muscle soreness as well as improve your performance during exercise. According to studies, regular citrulline intake can help improve your athletic performance due to the increased production of nitric oxide [3]. Nitric oxide helps expand your blood vessels, which reduces the load of pumping blood on your heart. And thus, drinking watermelon juice benefits your cardiac health too.

Promotes healthy skin 

Vitamin A and C are a few vital nutrients that help keep your skin healthy. Due to the presence of these vitamins, one of the best watermelons benefits is improved skin health. Vitamin A helps your skin with create and repair skill cells. Vitamin C, on the other hand, helps boost your skin health by helping your body improve and increase collagen production.

Helps manage metabolic syndrome 

Watermelons benefits your health by helping you manage metabolic syndrome, which may come with conditions like obesity [4]. These health benefits of watermelon can be visible in your body in the following ways: 

• High levels of antioxidants 
• Low BMI and body weight 
• Lower blood pressure (systolic) 
• Improved waist-to-hip ratio

Has anticancer properties 

According to research, free radicals can lead to development of certain cancers. This is because the oxidative stress that free radicals cause can lead to DNA cell damage. Some dietary antioxidants can help prevent certain cancers by helping your body fight off these free radicals. One such antioxidant is vitamin C, which is found in watermelon. Apart from this, the anticancer benefits of eating watermelon also come from the lycopene present in it. As per another study, lycopene can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer [5].

Improves digestive health 

Watermelons benefits also include improved digestive health because of its water and fiber content. Though it has a small amount of fiber, both fiber and water are essential to have a healthy digestive system. While fiber helps regulate your bowel movement, water helps move the waste from your digestive tract smoothly. These functions of water and fiber ultimately help in digestion by preventing constipation.

By consuming zinc-rich foods to boost immunity like watermelon seeds, benefits you can enjoy include maintaining good heart health and normal blood glucose levels. With the knowledge of all these watermelons benefits, be sure to make the most of it this summer. However, do eat it in moderation as excess consumption of watermelon can cause side-effects.

If you notice any signs of side-effects or have any health concerns, talk to a doctor. Book an online consultation with top doctors on Bajaj Finserv Health. With teleconsultation, you can get your questions resolved from the comfort of your home. And with guidance from top nutritionists, you can lead a healthier and more active life!