Healing Tip: Watermelon Provides Multiple Benefits

Did you know that watermelon is actually a vegetable rather than a fruit?

A member of the squash and cucumber family, this sweet, juicy treat is a nutritional powerhouse. Low in calories—a cup of cubed melon contains about 40 calories—watermelon is loaded with lycopene, a carotenoid that protects against heart disease and prostate and other types of cancer.

Watermelon juice may also beef up levels of arginine. Researchers from Texas A&M University found that drinking watermelon juice with meals for three weeks increased blood levels of this amino acid by 22 percent. 

Why is this important? Arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that helps regulate blood pressure, support healthy circulation, and even boost male sexual function.

Rather than “thumping” melons to find a good one, look for one that has a yellow underside and is smooth and heavy for its size. And don’t store watermelon in the refrigerator—those kept at room temperature have considerably more beta-carotene and lycopene than chilled melons.

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