A Wow for Watermelon

Summer is now in full swing, and if anyone is looking for an alternative to cooling off with ice cream, look no further than delicious and refreshing watermelon!

Because of watermelon’s cooling nature, it can do more for our health than refresh us on these hot summer days; watermelon can help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.

Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A. It is also rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production such as B6 B1, magnesium, thiamin and potassium.

Sweet, juicy watermelon is also packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. Specifically, pink watermelon is a rich source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene, which, according to the USDA research, protects against cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer (most notably prostate with some studies showing protective properties against breast, endometrium and lung cancers as well). Studies have shown that a cup and a half of watermelon contains about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene.

High intakes of vitamin C and beta-carotene have been shown in a number of scientific studies to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the airway spasm that occurs in asthma, reduce the risk of colon cancer, and alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. A cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the daily value for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the DV for vitamin A.

For further information about watermelon and more of the world’s healthiest foods, check the following website:
http://www.whfoods.org/

posted by Jessica Silver, MAOM, L.Ac.
Aiyana Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
212-894-0767
www.amazinghealing.com