Health benefits of watermelon:
Rich in electrolytes and water content,
melons are nature’s gift to beat tropical summer thirst.
Watermelons are very low in calories (just
30 calories per 100 g) and fats yet very rich source of numerous health
promoting phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants that are essential for optimum
health.
Watermelon is an excellent source of
Vitamin-A, which is a powerful natural anti-oxidant. 100 g fresh fruit provides
569 mg or 19% of daily-required levels of this vitamin. It is one of essential
vitamin for vision and immunity. Vitamin-A is also required for maintaining
healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in
vitamin-A is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
It is also rich in anti-oxidant flavonoids
like lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. These
antioxidants are found to offer protection against colon, prostate, breast,
endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. Phyto-chemicals present in
watermelon like lycopene and carotenoids have the ability to help protect cells
and other structures in the body from oxygen-free radicals.
Watermelon is an excellent source of
carotenoid pigment, lycopene and indeed, superior to raw red tomato. 100 g of
fresh melon provides 4532 µg lycopene, whereas this value only 2573 µg for
tomatoes. Studies suggest that lycopene offer certain protection to skin from
harmful UV rays.
Watermelon fruit is a good source of
potassium; Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that
helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; It thus offers protection
against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
Furthermore, it contains a good amount of
vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin-C, and manganese.
Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance
against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. Manganese
is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide
dismutase.
Total measured antioxidant strength (ORAC
value) of watermelon is 142 µmol TE/100 g.
Dr.S.Senthil Karunakaran,
M.D(Siddha)
AVIZTHAM SIDDHA HOSPITAL
No 6, Mounasamy Mutt Street,
Ambattur O.T, Chennai – 53
Contact no: 9444403023
Email; drkarunakaran@gmail.com