Anti-cancer Foods, Articles, Cancer Related

Anti-Cancer Foods: Watermelon Uses & Benefits

8 months ago

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watermelon slice on wooden background

Did you know watermelon was domesticated for the first time in Northeast Africa over 4,000 years ago? Its sweetness and juiciness make it a perfect summertime refreshment to quench your thirst.

What Is Watermelon?

Citrullus lanatus, more commonly known as the watermelon, is a flowering plant. Watermelons are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, including cantaloupe, honeydew, and cucumber.

It is a scrambling, trailing vine-like plant with more than 1,000 varieties of fruit. Seeded, seedless, icebox, picnic, and yellow/orange-fleshed watermelons are the most famous varieties.

Watermelon is refreshing, high in water and minerals, and has fewer calories.

What Are The Uses Of Watermelon?

Watermelon is mostly consumed fresh, made into juice, or added to smoothies. It can also be used in cocktails.

The fruit’s rind is edible after being cooked and can also be pickled.

Watermelon contains about 90% water, which is perfect for staying hydrated during the summer. With its natural sugars, it can also serve one’s sweet tooth.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Watermelon?

Watermelon and its juice have numerous health benefits. Citrulline, an amino acid, and lycopene, an antioxidant that plays significant roles in your body, are present in reasonable quantities in this food. It is also high in A and C vitamins.

Watermelon may lower insulin resistance and blood pressure in some persons. In addition, it may also reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.

Watermelon has low-calorie content and can help with weight management since it keeps you full longer.

What Makes Watermelon An Anticancer Food?

Watermelon contains anticancer compounds, notably lycopene and cucurbitacin E.

Intake of lycopene may lower the risk of certain types of cancer, including colorectal and prostate cancers.

Lycopene lowers blood levels of IGF (insulin-like growth factor), a cell-division hormone. Uncontrollable cell division causes cancer.

In addition, cucurbitacin E may decrease tumor growth by inducing cancer cell autophagy — the process through which your body eliminates damaged cells.