Watermelon is a wonderful fruit, full of water, benefits and nutritional properties. Discover all its qualities and why it is so good for your health. It will surprise you.
When it comes to fighting high temperatures, it is very important to drink at least two liters of water in order to keep our entire body hydrated. For this, we can go to fruits that are composed of almost 90% water while at the same time we ingest all kinds of vitamins and minerals that are most beneficial for our health.
And a good example of this can be found in watermelon, a fruit of the ‘cucurbitacaeae’ family that had its origin in Africa, but which during the 20th century began to expand its consumption to the rest of the world’s continents thanks to to its sweet and characteristic flavor. In fact, watermelon seeds also provide many benefits for our health.
In fact, its cultivation is usually carried out along the entire Mediterranean coast so that the fruits (or watermelons in this case) begin to bloom during the months of June and July. For this reason, we don’t have to tell you that watermelon should be taken especially in summer, a season that invites us to cool off with this fruit on those days where temperatures can perfectly exceed 40 degrees.
Know the nutritional values of watermelon
After having known the origins and how the cultivation of this most special reddish fruit is produced, it is time for us to delve into the different nutritional values that watermelon provides. If you are really interested in knowing them, we are going to ask you not to lose sight of the following lines:
Rich in iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium
The truth is that few fruits are a great source of all kinds of elements such as watermelon. For example, magnesium will give us a shot of extra energy after having done an intense physical activity. Calcium is essential for all bones and joints to be the most resistant throughout our lives.
While thanks to potassium, we will balance our blood pressure. For its part, phosphorus helps improve the entire intestinal calculus among some of its many benefits.
High in vitamin A and C
As for example with the orange and tangerine, watermelon is also a fruit that has a high content of vitamin C, a nutrient that seems of vital importance now that winter is looming on the horizon.
This is because it is a nutrient that will strengthen all our defenses and will make us less exposed to colds and flu. On the other hand, vitamin A also promotes the development of tissues related to the retina, making it an essential nutrient for improving our eyesight.
It is hypocaloric
Another of the great advantages that watermelon offers is that it is a hypocaloric fruit. What does this mean? Surely many of you will ask. Well, a 100 gram serving of watermelon contains only 20 calories.
Therefore, it is a food to take into account for those athletes who want to hydrate or simply for those people who love fruit who do not want to neglect their line.
Nutritional values of watermelon
Watermelon nutritional information, per 100 grams:
- Energy: 20.3 kcal.
- Carbohydrates: 4.5 grams
- Proteins: 0.4 grams.
- Fats: traces.
- Minerals: magnesium (11 mg), potassium (88.5 mg), iron (0.2 mg), calcium (7 mg).
- Vitamins: vitamin A (37 mcg), vitamin C (8 mcg), folic acid (3 mcg).
- Fiber: 0.3 grams.
- Beta carotene: 18 mcg.
What other benefits does watermelon bring?
Have you been more eager to know some other benefits that watermelon provides? Well then you will have no choice but to continue accompanying us through this last paragraph:
- Watermelon is a powerful antioxidant. This is because it is an inexhaustible source of what is known as ‘lycopene’, a substance that will help us stay younger with a much stronger nervous and cardiovascular system.
- It is a very diuretic fruit. Because it is made up of 91% water, watermelon is one of the most diuretic fruits that exist. Therefore, it is a food to take into account for all those who suffer from fluid retention.
- Cleanses our entire urinary system. As we have already mentioned in the first point, watermelon has a high content of potassium, an element that helps to clean and eliminate all the toxins that are deposited in the bladder.
Properties of watermelon, in summary
Here we summarize what are the main benefits of watermelon. Take note:
- Hydrates and remineralized, thanks to its high water content.
- It has a wide antioxidant power thanks to the fact that it has a substance called lycopene.
- It is ideal for low-calorie diets as it has only 20 calories per 100 grams.
- Helps purify the body.
- Stimulates diuresis.
