For refreshment – a tempting slice of watermelon – Health, beauty

How to better restore fluid in the body on such hot days? This question is also often asked by a pharmacist. “When the desire for something refreshing appears, we can eat a tempting and juicy slice of watermelon for refreshment,” offers Erika Pētersone, a pharmacist at “Mēness aptiekas”.

If we can absorb a large part of the daily fluid intake with food, then why not use the goodies of summer to fight the summer heat?

What about watermelon “belly”?

Watermelons are made up of about 92 percent water, but that doesn’t mean they don’t contain valuable nutrients. Vitamins A, B6 and C, lycopene and other antioxidants, various amino acids, as well as huge amounts of potassium and a little calcium and iron. Finally, watermelon contains little salt and calories – which makes it a healthy and refreshing snack.

Red! Very red!

The already mentioned lycopene is an antioxidant, the abundance of which in watermelons is of great interest to scientists. Its role in the human body has been studied in studies related to heart and bone health, as well as the ability to reduce the risk of cancer. Lycopene is found in red fruits and vegetables (such as tomatoes and watermelons), giving them this color. For this reason, the healthiest watermelon is well ripe – dark red. Similarly, beta-carotene and phenolic antioxidants increase during ripening.

Also bark and seeds

This does not mean that only the red part of the watermelon is edible and healthy. For example, the white flesh closer to the bark contains a lot of citrulline, an amino acid that is involved in human metabolism and is converted to arginine. This, in turn, improves blood circulation, which means better cardiovascular health, and, according to research from Texas A&M University, can even have a minimal, viagra-like effect.

Finally, even watermelon seeds – which have first sprouted and dropped their surface – are edible. They are high in protein, magnesium, B vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids.

Does blood pressure really regulate?

Some studies suggest that a substance in watermelons is especially healthy for older postmenopausal women. In one study, women took watermelon extract for six weeks, after which time they had slightly lower blood pressure and reduced lack of elasticity of the arterial walls. The researchers believe that it is citrulline / arginine that achieves this effect.

That too much is damaging!

“No matter how tempting it may sound, it will not be a good idea to change your diet and eat almost exclusively from watermelons,” reminds Ērika Pētersone, a pharmacist at “Mēness aptiekas”. What’s too much, it’s about scabies, and always the best diet is balanced. Too much lycopene per day (more than 30 mg, contained in about 700 g of watermelon) over a long period of time can cause mild gastrointestinal problems – nausea, diarrhea and bloating.

People with hyperkalaemia (too much potassium in the blood) should not be interested in eating watermelon. Finally, although the sugar found in fruit is generally relatively healthier than the sugar added to products during production, it is and remains sugar, and watermelons are high.

Moon pharmacy

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