What Are the Health Benefits of Watermelon?
Watermelon is a sweet and refreshing low calorie summer snack. It provides hydration and also essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Along with cantaloupe, honeydew, and cucumber, watermelons are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family.
There are five common types of watermelon: seeded, seedless, mini, yellow, and orange.
In this article, learn more about the possible health benefits and nutritional content of watermelon, some tips for serving it, and who should limit it.
Watermelon is around 90% water, which makes it useful for staying hydrated in the summer. It can also satisfy a sweet tooth with its natural sugars.
Watermelon also contains antioxidants. These substances can help removeTrusted Source molecules known as free radicals, or reactive species, from the body. The body produces free radicals during natural processes, such as metabolism. They can also develop through smoking, air pollution, stress, and other environmental pressures.
If too many free radicals stay in the body, oxidative stress can occur. This can result in cell damage and may lead to a range of diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
The body can remove some free radicals naturally, but dietary antioxidants support this process.
Below are some of the ways antioxidants and other nutrients in watermelon may help protect a person’s health.