Watermelon, a juicy and large melon like fruit with smooth green skin, red pulp and watery juice has its native origin being traced to Africa.
The fruit has two bands, the bitter and the sweet, both having the same look. Preferring the sweet, persons would usually bore a hole and taste the fruit before reaping it.
Firstly and foremost, the watermelon is a good source of ‘water’ its namesake. For persons who detest the bland taste of water, the melon is an excellent alternative, with a flavor that is refreshing.
In fact, the Africans used it as a source of water during dry season. Today, the fruit is more popularly known as a tasty snack or dessert.
The watermelon is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is a rich source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C. Of all listed fruits and vegetables, the watermelon contains the highest concentration of lycopene, an antioxidant that is known to help fight heart disease and several types of cancer.
The pulp contains only 6 percent sugar and 91 percent water by weight while the rinds of the watermelon usually have a light green or white colour are edible and contains a variety of hidden nutrients such as increasing blood flow and circulation.
Other health benefits of the mouth-watering fruit are that it helps heart health especially in women at the post-menopausal stage; it can also be a natural Viagra in men with erectile dysfunction. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories.
Many people might think that the watermelon has little nutritional value, but a 10-ounce wedge of watermelon packs in about one-third of the recommended daily value of vitamins A and vitamins C as well as a little amount of potassium.
Watermelon seeds are a rich source of protein, each parts of the melon has something to offer.
Watermelon is one of the most refreshing fruit available year-round; it is not only delicious but nutritious as well. It is the one healthy fruit that we enjoy mostly in the summer.