Wonderful Watermelon!

[easyrotator]erc_47_1341582155[/easyrotator]

Want to quench thirst and re-boost your body with natural electrolytes and anti-oxidants? Watermelon has everything you need to beat the scorching summer heat. Wonderfully delicious, thirst-quenching melons are the great source of much needed water and electrolytes to beat the intense summer temperatures. Here in Arizona we need lots of help with this! I LOVE watermelon in the summer for just such reasons!

Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of cucurbitaceae of the genus: citrullus, and is related to the other plants such as cantaloupe, squash, and pumpkin that grow as vines on the ground. It is widely grown across many tropical countries where it is one of the major commercial crops. Watermelon was originated from southern African countries and from where it spread to all over the tropical and subtropical regions. The plant bears many yellow colored flowers that may require honeybees for pollination. Now different varieties of watermelon-fruits are cultivated world over, featuring variation in their size, shape, and color of the flesh (red, orange, and yellow in color). They even make square watermelons now!

Watermelon has neutral flavor and taste is somewhat sweet like light sugar syrup. I’m not sure if you’ve had the experience lately eating watermelons that have seeds but I believe there is a HUGE taste difference with the seeded watermelons being much sweeter! The guy at Whole Foods agrees with me anyway. 😉

There are SO many great reasons to eat watermelon! Here are some nutritional facts that should encourage you to each watermelon today!

1.  They are ideal for health, as they do not contain any fat or cholesterol but are high in fiber content and water. The fiber content in watermelon scrubs out toxins from your system leaving your skin healthy and glowing. It serves as a natural enhancer of the digestion system of the human body.
2. Watermelons are rich in a phyto nutrient called Lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene – the red pigment that is also present in tomatoes. Lycopene in the diet neutralizes free radicals in the system and reduces incidence of certain types of cancer especially prostate cancer, breast, lung and cancer of the uterus. Lycopene is also linked with reduced risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack).
3. Oranges are not only the fruit that is rich in Vitamin C but also watermelons that have abundance of vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts your immune system and fights against sickness and diseases.  Vitamin C in watermelons is also known to alleviate medical conditions like cataract. So go cool, eat watermelons and boost your immune system right away.  Stay away from sickness and disease the cool watermelon way.  It doesn’t matter whether you cut, slice or juice watermelons but when nutrition matters, watermelons are number one.
4. Watermelon is robust in vitamin A, which fights off infections. Watermelon has healing effects on inflammatory conditions of asthma, arthritis, colon cancer, diabetes and arteriosclerosis. There is good news for diabetics; you can enjoy watermelons to the core!
5. Watermelon contains citrulline, an amino acid compound, which helps flush out the kidneys and serves as an excellent detox agent.
6. Watermelon is a rich source of potassium*, a mineral indispensable for water balance in every cell. Low potassium levels can lead to muscle cramps. The potassium in watermelons help control blood pressure, diminishes the risk of developing kidney stones, osteoporosis, moreover regulates heart beat.
7. The beta-carotene present in watermelon helps keeps your vision sharp, especially at night. Researchers believe that beta-carotene and vitamin C are capable of preventing heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions.