healthy body tips

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.), family Cucurbitaceae) is a vine-like (scrambler and trailer) flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Pepos are derived from an inferior ovary, and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon – although not in the genus Cucumis – has a smooth exterior rind (green, yellow and sometimes white) and a juicy, sweet interior flesh (usually pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, red and sometimes green if not ripe). It is also commonly used to make a variety of salads, most notably fruit salad.

Whether you’re chomping into watermelon, enjoying it as part of a fruit salad or slurping on a watermelon smoothie, that red pulp provides a powerhouse of nutritional value.

Good source of vitamin A
Vitamin A helps your eyes see normally in the dark, promotes the growth and health of cells and protects against infection by helping to maintain healthy skin and tissues.

Vitamin A also is involved in hearing, taste, growth, and the normal development of fetuses. A 2-cup serving of watermelon provides 20 percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A.

Good source of vitamin C
Probably vitamin C’s most well known role is as an antioxidant protecting body cells from damage by free radicals . Studies have shown that cell damage by free radicals may lead to chronic health problems, including cancer and heart disease.

Vitamin C also boosts the body’s ability to fight infection and helps keep capillaries and gums healthy. A 2-cup serving of watermelon supplies one-fourth of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

Contains lycopene
Watermelon contains 15-20 milligrams of the plant pigment lycopene per 2-cup serving. Lycopene is thought to have powerful antioxidant capabilities that may help reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. Found only in a few red plant foods like tomatoes and watermelon, lycopene, like vitamin C, neutralizes cell-damaging free radicals.

Provides potassium
Watermelon, like most fruits and vegetables, is a good source of potassium. Foods high in potassium seem to help protect against high blood pressure. Potassium also helps regulate fluids and mineral balance in and out of body cells, aids in muscle contraction and helps transmit nerve impulses.

Fat and cholesterol-free
Among its other health benefits, watermelon is naturally low in fat and is cholesterol-free. Research suggests that diets moderate in fat and cholesterol promote health and may aid in the prevention of certain chronic diseases.

Low in calories, yet filling
A 2-cup serving of watermelon has only 100 calories. However, as a result of its high water content, watermelon is quite filling. Because of these qualities, Weight Watchers named watermelon its Pick of the Season Product Item this spring.

Selection tips
How do you know you’re getting a good watermelon? The National Watermelon Promotion Board offers these tips:

1) Look it over – choose a melon that’s symmetrical and free of bruises, cuts and dents

2) Lift it up – it should be heavy for its size

3) Turn it over – it should have a creamy yellow spot on the underside where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

Safety reminder
As a fresh agricultural product, it’s important to wash the outside of a watermelon with tap water before you cut it open. This will help prevent the spread of bacteria from the outside surface to the interior of the melon