Watermelon, It’s Your Summertime Stimulant …Err…Refreshment
Let’s start off the summer right by reminding ourselves how good watermelon tastes. It’s about now that watermelon is transforming from dry pink mush into lush, juicy pieces of cool refreshment. There is even more reason to love watermelon because it:
- is concentrated with a ton of antioxidants
- helps reduce inflammation
- may help prevent asthma when eaten
- is a great source of potassium and vitamins A & C
- contains beta carotene
- helps prevent colon cancer, diabetes and arthritis from developing
- has a high lycopene content and
- aids in free radical elimination and may prevent cancer formation
We’ve always known that watermelon was a tasty summer party addition, but new evidence suggests that consuming it may help with the intimate, after-party celebration, too:
A recent study found that watermelon could prove to be a natural Viagra. Bhimu Patil, PHD, director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University says that watermelon may be richer than previously thought in an amino acid called citrulline. Citrulline relaxes and dilates blood vessels, just like Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction. Before, scientists believed that citrulline was more concentrated in the rind than in the edible bit. Now, they have discovered that a typical 4-ounce serving (or about 10 watermelon balls) has about 150 milligrams of citrulline.
“Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra,” Patil said, “but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects.”
But, don’t skip the grilled and BBQ’d protein in favor of watermelon just yet. It’s not known just how much watermelon you would have to eat in order to get Viagra-like effects. As I see it, it’s another good excuse to consume large quantities of the popular summer treat. Yum!
New Viagra-link will definitely add more jeers and jibes to this summer's watermelon eating contest.
June 17, 2009
Tags: food, Health, innovation, nutrition, trivia Posted in: Fun Food Facts, Health, Science & Technology
One Response
Hmmm…and just the other day I noticed a Citrulline supplement in the kitchen, and I wondered if I should take it since I’m already taking a supp for its vasodilation effects. I didn’t know that’s what citrulline did, but I knew I had read something about it in terms of muscle metabolism…interesting….
Leave a Reply