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Watermelon A
wonderful Fruit
Watermelon, the
natural cure to heart attack
Watermelons are not
just a tasty summer treat it is also goldmine for your health.
Watermelon is fat free
It is a good
source of vitamins A, B6, thiamin and C
According to
USDA, watermelon contains 40% more of the powerful antioxidant
lycopene than raw tomatoes.
Watermelon is
an excellent detoxifier.
Does lycopene
matter?
Lycopene is the
provitamin that gives tomatoes and watermelon it’s red color. Many
investigations have found that high intake of lycopene correlates
with less risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular
degeneration.
A heart study measuring lycopene in fatty tissue of 1,374 men showed
that it could reduce the risk of a heart attack by 50%.
Watermelon with or
without seeds
Studies have shown
the seedless watermelon tend to contain more lycopene. Many also
find them easier to eat.
However the seeds
are very nutritious. They are a good supply of minerals such as zinc
and selenium.
Mix watermelon with
some fresh mint for a tasty, healthy, detox juice
Concentrated in Powerful Antioxidants
Sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most
important antioxidants in nature. Watermelon is an excellent source
of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A
notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. Pink watermelon
is also a source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene.
These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing
free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the body that can
cause a great deal of damage. They are able to oxidize cholesterol,
making it stick to blood vessel walls, where it can lead to heart
attack or stroke. They can add to the severity of asthma attacks by
causing airways to clamp down and close. They can increase the
inflammation that occurs in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
and cause most of the joint damage that occurs in these conditions,
and they can damage cells lining the colon, turning them into cancer
cells. Fortunately, vitamin C and beta-carotene are very good at
getting rid of these harmful molecules and can therefore prevent the
damage they would otherwise cause. As a matter of fact, high intakes
of vitamin C and beta-carotene have been shown in a number of
scientific studies to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the
airway spasm that occurs in asthma, reduce the risk of colon cancer,
and alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis. A cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the daily value for
vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the DV for
vitamin A.
More on Watermelon's Lycopene
Watermelon is also a very concentrated source of the carotenoid,
lycopene. Well known for being abundant in tomatoes and particularly
well absorbed from cooked tomato products containing a little fat
such as olive oil, lycopene is also present in high amounts in
watermelon and mangoes. Lycopene has been extensively studied for
its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. In contrast to
many other food phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied
in animals, lycopene has been repeatedly studied in humans and found
to be protective against a growing list of cancers. These cancers
now include prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, lung
cancer and colorectal cancers. A study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in patients with colorectal
adenomas, a type of polyp that is the precursor for most colorectal
cancers, blood levels of lycopene were 35% lower compared to study
subjects with no polyps. Blood levels of beta-carotene also tended
to be 25.5% lower, although according to researchers, this
difference was not significant. In their final (multiple logistic
regression) analysis, only low levels of plasma lycopene (less than
70 microgram per liter) and smoking increased the likelihood of
colorectal adenomas, but the increase in risk was quite substantial:
low levels of lycopene increased risk by 230% and smoking by 302%.
The antioxidant function of lycopene-its ability to help protect
cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage-has been
linked in human research to prevention of heart disease. Protection
of DNA (our genetic material) inside of white blood cells has also
been shown to be an antioxidant role of lycopene.
Energy
Production
Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy
production. Our food ranking system also qualified watermelon as a
very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1,
magnesium, and potassium. Part of this high ranking was due to the
higher nutrient richness of watermelon. Because this food has a
higher water content and lower calorie content than many other
fruits (a whole cup of watermelon contains only 48 calories), it
delivers more nutrients per calorie-an outstanding health benefit!
Protection against Macular Degeneration
Lycopene May Help to Prevent Prostate
Cancer
There are a number of reasons why eating
watermelon can contribute to men's health. First of all, an
impressive amount of the disease-fighting carotenoid, lycopene, is
found in watermelon (approximately 15-20 mg per 2-cup serving).
Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives tomatoes, watermelon and pink
grapefruit, their red color. Antioxidants such as lycopene help
neutralize "free radicals" that cause DNA damage in cells–damage
that may play a role in the onset of cancer.
Studies show that men with high serum
lycopene levels appear to be at lower risk for prostate cancer than
men with lower levels. Following skin cancer, prostate cancer is the
second most frequently diagnosed cancer in American men. And, it is
estimated that one in every seven blacks and one in every eight
whites develop the disease. Researchers are attempting to determine
why prostate cancer incidence is higher in blacks than whites. In a
recent study published in the America Journal of Epidemiology,
scientists speculate that it may be that blacks are at greater risk
due to their lower consumption of lycopene, a theory that might
help, in part, to explain the racial disparity in prostate cancer
rates. What's clear, however, is that it is vital for all men of all
ages and ethnic groups to lower their risk of developing prostate
cancer by consuming foods rich in lycopene.
While tomatoes have been the focus of most
of the research on lycopene, new research shows blood levels of
lycopene to be as high from watermelon as tomatoes. In a small
study, scientists found that lycopene levels among volunteers who
drank three cups of watermelon juice were comparable to those who
drank a cup of tomato juice. The American Cancer Institute
recommends five servings of fruit and vegetables a day as a general
health promotion and cancer prevention strategy…it's prudent to
include antioxidant-rich watermelon in those five servings.
Women and Heart Disease
While many women fear getting cancer,
research shows that women are actually more at risk of dying from
heart disease. . Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives tomatoes,
watermelon and pink grapefruit, their red color. Antioxidants such
as lycopene help neutralize "free radicals" that cause DNA damage in
cells–damage that may play a role in the onset of cardiovascular
disease. Studies show that one in 10 American women age 45 to 64
years has some degree or type of heart disease; and the incidence of
heart disease increases considerably in women older than age 65
years. Within one year after a heart attack, 38 percent of women
(compared to 25 percent of men) will die. Within six years after a
heart attack, twice as many women as men will have another heart
attack or become disabled. In addition, about a quarter of American
women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to pose a serious
risk of heart disease. The World Health Organization recently urged
women to take better care of their hearts, urging them to safeguard
themselves from heart disease, which is largely preventable.
Fight Disease by Eating Heart-Healthy Foods
Such as Watermelon
Although the statistics are grim, the good
news is that certain risk factors can be controlled: not smoking,
engaging in regular exercise, and enjoying heart-healthy foods can
all help to avert heart disease. A heart-healthy diet is one that is
balanced; is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium; is rich
in fruits, vegetables and grains; and contains fish, lean poultry
and lean meat. Certain fruits, vegetables and whole grains are of
particular benefit to the heart because they are rich sources of
protective nutrients. In fact, the American Heart Association
estimated that one-third of deaths from heart disease could be
prevented by eating a better diet and exercising more. Watermelon
has received the heart-check mark by the American Heart Association
to acknowledge it as a heart-healthy food. Lycopene is an
antioxidant that gives tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit,
their red color. Antioxidants such as lycopene help neutralize "free
radicals" that cause DNA damage in cells–damage that may play a role
in the onset of cardiovascular disease.
Watermelon Protects the Heart and Helps
with Weight Loss
Many of the nutrients found in
watermelon–vitamin A, vitamin B6, thiamine, vitamin C, magnesium and
potassium as well as the phytochemical lycopene–are all beneficial
for cardiovascular health. A recent study conducted by Harvard
Medical School researchers shows that those women with the highest
levels of plasma lycopene had a 33 percent lower risk of developing
cardiovascular disease than those with the lowest levels. And a
growing body of evidence suggests that people who eat enough fruits
and vegetables to meet the daily requirements for vitamin C have
healthier blood pressure levels than those who don’t eat enough of
these important foods. A two-cup serving of watermelon contains 25%
of the Daily Value for vitamin C. Lycopene is an antioxidant that
gives tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, their red color.
Antioxidants such as lycopene help neutralize "free radicals" that
cause DNA damage in cells–damage that may play a role in the onset
of cardiovascular disease.. |
