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HealthNutrition

3 Reasons to Eat More Watermelon


One of the most popular fruits out there that I get questions about is watermelon- should you eat it, and is it good for you?

The answer is yes, go ahead and eat it!

Watermelon often gets a bad wrap, but really it doesn’t deserve its reputation. Watermelon packs only 45 calories per 1 cup, 9 grams of sugar (that’s not so bad!), 1 gram of fiber and a whole lot of other good things.

Here’s 3 reasons why you should eat more watermelon: 

1. Anti-cancer:

Watermelon is a source of anti-cancer nutrient lycopene that may help to prevent prostate cancer. Lycopene is a member of the same family as another well-known nutrient, beta-carotene. Unlike tomatoes that must be cooked for lycopene absorption, lycopene is well absorbed into our bodies from raw watermelon (this is great news!).

Watermelons are also a source of vitamin C, that acts as a major antioxidant in our bodies as well helping to fight free-radical damage that happens on the cellular level. Vitamin C is also great for skin and immune-health.

2. May promote restful sleep:

Watermelon is a source of magnesium, a key nutrient that plays a role in over 300 processes in our bodies and one of those is helping to promote relaxation and restful sleep. How? Magnesium is key in the function of GABA receptors in our brains, and GABA is a calming neurotransmitter that our brains require to shut down and relax.

3. Heart healthy:

Watermelon is also super heart-healthy and hydrating as well. Watermelon of course contains magnesium that can help promote healthful blood pressure due to it’s muscle-relaxing properties. Potassium is another key nutrient for heart-health found in watermelons- as it too can help promote balanced blood pressure as well due to many of the same reasons as magnesium. Both potassium and magnesium are electrolytes that play a role in aiding in muscle contraction and relaxation- and additionally they help to promote hydration as well.

Go ahead and make a juice, add it to your salad, eat it as a snack… just get more watermelon into your everyday, especially today on National Watermelon Day!