Health Benefits of Watermelon
Don't let a few seeds get in the way of you and good health.
Image courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board
Watermelons may be 92 percent water, but that doesn't mean they're lightweights when it comes to nutrition. These cousins of the cucumber are so full of vitamins they even put tomatoes in the shade. Here are all the good things you're getting beyond the rind:
H2O Baby!
Who needs a cup when you can have a slice? "Watermelons are very high in water content and a natural source of hydration," says Stephanie Turner, horticulturalist with the Park Seed Company. And it's not just about quenching thirst: humans are more than two-thirds water, and we need every drop we can get.
Image courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board
Seeing Red
Think tomatoes are high in lycopene? According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelon has more of this beneficial red pigment than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. And you're still getting plenty of good stuff if you have an orange- or yellow-fleshed melon: all watermelons have carotenoids that keep cells oxygenated and healthy.
Learn Your ABCs
Watermelons are full of vitamins A, B6 and C, which boost eye health, immunity and nerve function, plus they help other vitamins and minerals be absorbed into the body.
And the watermelon possibilities are practically endless: there are approximately 1,200 varieties of watermelon grown around the world.
