Health & Beauty. delivery number 23: The Watermelon.

Every day I will publish a fruit, vegetable or vegetable, highlighting its properties and benefits for health and beauty. In this way we will know more about the natural benefits that we can count on daily if we know more about the fruits, vegetables that we consume or that we see in the market and that we have not yet tested. In today's delivery I will talk about ...

The watermelon plant, whose scientific name is Citrullus Vulgaris, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Its fruit is very voluminous, has a round and oval shape and can exceed 20 kg in weight. Watermelon is a refreshing, diuretic and purifying fruit. There is no fruit that is more loaded with organic water than watermelon.

Watermelon has very detoxifying, alkalizing, diuretic and remineralizing characteristics, keeping the body free of toxic waste. Its alkalizing effect maintains the acid-alkaline balance in the body, neutralizing the toxic condition of the body as a result of the excessive intake of acidifying foods. The effects of watermelon juice on health are immense. Let's see some of its benefits:

The rich contents of beta-carotene and vitamin C contained in this fruit do wonders in reducing the inflammatory process that leads to diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Take two or three large glasses of watermelon juice. It is very effective in promoting the elimination of waste and feces.

As watermelon juice cleanses the body of toxic waste, it also reduces the itching that results from the toxicity of acidosis.

In recent times, the properties of lycopene and other plant compounds present in this fruit have been studied to understand its antitumor effects. Studies suggest that lycopene intake is associated with a lower risk of cancer. In particular, it seems that this compound is effective in the prevention of tumors that affect the digestive system. Several studies have reported that it is especially protective against prostate cancer. The present cucurbitacin has the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Filled with B vitamins, watermelon helps the correct intake of magnesium and potassium, essential to have more energy and fight the typical exhaustion of hot days.

Thanks to the diuretic effect, it increases the feeling of lightness and the feeling of fullness with a positive effect on the body that for a while.

The combination of folic acid and other essential vitamins of this fruit plays an important role in reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and colon cancer. The consumption of watermelon can also decrease the accumulation of fat in the arteries, with positive consequences for heart disease.

Studies suggest that the lycopene contained in watermelon, helps to reduce the stiffness and thickness of the walls of the arteries. Scientific research has shown that citrulline, an amino acid present in watermelon, has beneficial effects on the health of the heart. This compound increases the levels of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide, in turn, favors the dilation of blood vessels, thus reducing blood pressure.

Studies have shown that potassium present in watermelon, and in fruits in general, helps eliminate toxins from the blood. When too many toxins are present in the blood, they are deposited in the kidneys making them more vulnerable. In this case, an excess of uric acid can form in the blood which can lead to kidney stones and gout. Therefore the consumption of watermelon can prevent the formation of kidney stones and their expulsion if they already exist.

Thanks to the content of lycopene and vitamin C, regular consumption of this summer fruit helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. One study examined the effects of vitamin C and lycopene and the results confirmed that the two compounds have useful properties to reduce markers of inflammation.

Thanks to its high water content, watermelon is definitely a refreshing fruit with diuretic and purifying properties of the body. Thanks to these diuretic, purifying and detoxifying properties of the body, its intake can provide benefits in case of swelling due to water retention. Its diuretic action helps to eliminate excess fluid from the body, reducing water retention, especially useful for women during the menstrual cycle and for pregnant women.

Its cleaning effect and natural diuretic is especially indicated to solve problems of kidney and bladder.

Studies confirm that lycopene present in watermelon can prevent and even cure this eye-related disease.

Recent studies have found that the antioxidant properties of lycopene are effective in reducing exacerbations of asthma in children. There are also other studies on lycopene that show how this compound can have beneficial effects on asthma.

Watermelon juice is healthy to prevent blockage of cholesterol in the arteries and can increase HDL, the so-called good cholesterol, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A recent study states that watermelon has useful properties in cases of hypertension. Its intake balances blood pressure thus preventing damage to the cardiovascular system. These benefits are due to a non-essential amino acid called citrulline. There are several studies that show how citrulline has useful properties and reduces blood pressure. Some studies claim that supplementation with watermelon juice, in addition to reducing the pressure, improves the elasticity of blood vessels.

The abundance of water and fibers, on the other hand, is useful to improve blood circulation. It also prevents the formation of fat deposits in veins and arteries. The researchers argue that this ability of the fruit to improve blood circulation can extend its benefits also in the sexual sphere and, therefore, can help counteract erectile dysfunction.

According to studies, it has been shown that thanks to citrulline, an amino acid with proven vasodilating action, it can be used as a natural viagra. In particular, the research claims that citrulline is the compound of these erectile dysfunction benefits. Once ingested, this substance is converted into arginine, which is a precursor of nitric oxide, which in turn promotes the relaxation of blood vessels. Oral supplements of citrulline improve the hardness of the erection in men suffering from this dysfunction, however, not to feed misunderstandings, this substance that acts as a vasodilator, so to speak, is present in the white part of the fruit, which It is usually discarded.

As we know, insulin is a very important hormone for the control of glucose in the blood. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body produces insulin, but the cells resist its effects. This malfunction can lead to type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Several studies show that regular intake of watermelon juice and arginine is associated with lower insulin resistance.

The consumption of watermelon juice before intense physical activity helps reduce muscle pain the next day.

The lycopene, beta carotene and vitamin A contained in the reddish pulp help to detoxify the body by eliminating the accumulation of toxins. Thanks to the low caloric content (only 30 Kcal per 100 grams), it forms the basis for a low-calorie snack.

Composed of 92% water and 8% sugar, it counteracts cellulite and orange peel through microcirculation and kidney cleansing. Thanks to its properties, including the total absence of fats, watermelon, along with pineapple, is one of the best effective foods to counteract and fight cellulite.

Although its pulp is particularly sweet, watermelon has a particularly low caloric intake and, therefore, is suitable for diets due to its satiety effect.

Thanks to the properties of vitamin A and beta-carotene, watermelon provides benefits to delay the aging of the skin and maintain the elasticity of it. This property is supported by several studies that suggest that vitamin C contributes to the construction of collagen, offers protection against ultraviolet rays and treats inflammation of the skin.

Vitamin A also contributes to the health of our hair and, along with vitamin C, promotes the production of collagen, a basic substance in the structure of our connective tissues.

The best way to eat watermelon is natural in pieces, likewise watermelon juice, ice cream, as this fruit is very refreshing and moisturizing, especially recommended on very hot days. That's why you have to know how to choose it when buying it to fully enjoy its refreshing and healthy properties.

Watermelons usually have a more or less dark yellow spot to the extent they have been supported in the field. Choose the watermelons with the darkest point, if the point is clear or not very visible, it means that the watermelon has been picked up too soon. The perfect watermelon should be opaque in dark green color. If the skin is shiny, leave it aside.

All the parts of this fruit are rich in useful substances for our health, also the internal and white part of the skin. If possible, it is advisable to insert a little watermelon skin in a shake, since it has a good content of chlorophyll, a useful substance in the production of blood.

Watermelon is the richest source of the amino acid citrulline. According to scientific research, the husk is the part of the fruit that contains more of it. It should not be eaten at the end of a meal or mixed with other fruits, to assimilate all its properties and avoid fermentation processes, it should be eaten alone. It digests in a quarter of an hour so you can eat it at the beginning and then eat something else. It is excellent as a unique summer meal.

Watermelon contains natural salicylates, the substances used in the pharmaceutical field for the preparation of medicines, firstly aspirin. There are people who are allergic or who have developed an intolerance to these substances, so in these cases it is necessary to consult a doctor before consuming this type of fruit.

In children under three years of age, the aromatic substances present in the flesh of the watermelon may not be very digestible.

The consumption of more than 30 mg of lycopene per day can cause nausea and diarrhea. Therefore, it is not necessary to exceed the consumption of fruits containing this substance.