Almost every after dinner, our main dessert would be fruits. My dad loves to eat fruits. He abides by the rule “One apple a day keeps the doctor away”. So every grocery shopping, he buys lots of fruits: banana, avocado, apple, oranges, and watermelons. He shops at Costco where the fruits are reasonably priced and is bought in bulk. Although sometimes, some fruits go into waste because there are just too many consume all at once.

My dad is diagnosed with Benign Prostate Cancer. The doctor has prescribed him to do surgery or take medicines. Because my dad doesn’t want surgery and medicines are expensive, he settles for the next best thing to moderate his PSA…eating watermelon.  I always eat meals with my dad so I always get to eat the fruits that he buys. Nowadays I’m just full of watermelons. I don’t know the health benefit of watermelons for me but for my dad it’s his cancer. With time in my hand,  I researched the health facts and benefits of watermelons.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATERMELON

  1. The health benefits of watermelon are really great. No matter how it is sliced, it is packed with some of the most important antioxidants found in nature.
  2. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A, particularly through its concentration of beta-carotene.
  3. The beautiful red watermelon is also a source of the potent carotene antioxidant which is called lycopene. These antioxidants travel throughout the body neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the body that can cause much damage to us. They are able to oxidize cholesterol, making it stick to blood vessel walls and thicken them which can lead to hearty attack or stroke. The lycopene which gives fruits the attractive red color that we find in watermelon can help reduce the risks of prostate cancer.
  4. It is a surprising fact that watermelon is the only fruit that contains higher concentrations of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable.
  5. Watermelon is a fruit that is rich in electrolytes sodium and potassium that we lose through our perspiration.
  6. Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production. Food experts recommend watermelon as a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1 and magnesium. Because of its higher water content approximately ninety percent and calorie value it is ranked more valuable than other fruits.
  7. Watermelon has a special cooling effect and is exceptionally high in citrulline, an amino acid that our bodies use to make another amino acid, arginine, which is used in the urea cycle to remove ammonia from the body.
  8. The antioxidants help reducing the severity of asthma. It also reduces the risk of colon cancer, asthma, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate cancer.
  9. Watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium which protect our body from so many diseases.
  10. Watermelon is fat free but helps energy production. It protects against macular degeneration.

Fruits are the best way to go if you want to be healthy and eat your dessert at the same time. Although watermelons are best served in a hot summer day, I don’t mind eating it whole year round because it’s just delicious. Before heading straight to your nearest market/grocery store to buy a watermelon, here are some tips in selecting one:

“The best way to choose a flavorful melon is to look at the color and quality of the flesh, which should be a deep color and absent from white streaks. If it features seeds, they should be deep in color. Oftentimes, however, we do not have this liberty when purchasing watermelon since it is more common to buy a whole, uncut fruit. When choosing a whole watermelon, look for one that is heavy for its size with a rind that is relatively smooth and that is neither overly shiny nor overly dull. In addition, one side of the melon should have an area that is distinct in color from the rest of the rind, displaying a yellowish or creamy tone. This is the underbelly, the place that was resting on the ground during ripening, and if the fruit does not have this marking, it may have been harvested prematurely, which will negatively affect its taste, texture and juiciness. For the most antioxidants, choose fully ripened watermelon.” (source)

Happy healthy dessert!

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