Summer is around the corner. Days are getting longer and the temperature is rising steadily. Staying hydrated during the hot summer months is crucial to your health, especially for the younger and the older populations. And while most people are content on filling up on pure water, sometimes you need a change of pace. But instead of a Gatorade or any number of flavored beverages you can get, consider sinking your teeth into a slice of watermelon.
Growing up in a place where the summer is pretty hot, my family was used to having watermelon on a regular basis. I remember having a bowl of fresh watermelons served with our dinner routinely. And while they are sweet, delicious and refreshing to bite into, they are full of health benefits that most of us are unaware of. Not only are watermelons full of health benefits, they also help us fight periodontal disease (gum disease).
Watermelons are full of Vitamin C which is very helpful in fighting “free radicals”. We are not talking about overly political figures running around trying to change policy. NO! We are talking about precursors to cancer and other inflammatory diseases like heart disease. Vitamin C helps keep these free radicals in check, making them less likely to cause damage to our body. The same Vitamin C is instrumental in helping keep periodontal disease under control. That’s not to say you don’t need to brush or floss. But it says that watermelons make our bodies stronger in fighting the damage caused by periodontal disease. Another benefit of vitamin C is in reduction of asthma (both frequency and severity of asthma attacks).
Watermelons are alkaline (opposite of acidic). Our bodies operate at a slightly alkaline level. However, most foods we eat are acidic and ingesting them leads to imbalances in our bodies. Watermelons help neutralize other acidic foods and help keep our body in its optimal pH range.
Watermelons are also great for weight loss. Yes they are. Watermelon is mostly water and fiber. Eating a bowl of watermelon will leave you filling full and satisfied compared to a sugary snack! Plus, it will leave your body after your body has absorbed what it needs, letting the fiber clean up our insides as well.
Watermelons are 40% water and they have minerals our body needs desperately to operate smoothly. What better water substitute than watermelons. Plus, they contain an amino acid which makes our muscles recover faster. This is important for any athlete as their recovery time decreases with consumption of watermelons. What the professional athletes need to be consuming during their timeouts or half time is watermelons. Maybe this is a stretch, but you get the point.
As you can see there are more than a few benefits to this red yummy fruit. And we’ve only listed a few of them. An internet search will show you many more amazing benefits of watermelons. Watermelons are not only tasty, but they are also good for you. This summer make a point of picking up a watermelon a week and incorporating it into your diet. Stay healthy and be strong.