Few things instantly conjure such powerful memories of the summer and can make you smile as fast as thinking about barbecuing in the backyard with a large plate of freshly sliced, ripe and juicy watermelons. Seriously, think about it for a moment … you can almost taste it, do not you? It’s safe to say that most people like this tasty fruit, but few realize that watermelons are actually full of health benefits, making it a truly perfect summer snack.

Watermelons owe their magnificent red color to lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, just like tomatoes. In recent years, the scientific community has recognized lycopene as a particularly important nutrient for cardiovascular health. Consumption of foods rich in lycopene, such as watermelon, has been associated with improved blood flow by acting as a vasodilator and has shown some ability to reduce LDL, or bad cholesterol, making lycopene doubly beneficial to the heart.

Another advantage of foods rich in lycopene is that they improve bone health by reducing oxidative stress, which can lead to bone problems, among other health problems. Recent studies have shown that lycopene can be an alternative natural treatment for the prevention and management of osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.

Watermelon is also an excellent source of citrulline, a non-essential alpha-amino acid that has been shown to improve the use of essential amino acids during exercise and increase blood flow. Consider including watermelon in your routines before and after training as this can reduce recovery time after exercise and help increase growth hormone levels further after resistance training.

Your body naturally converts citrulline found in watermelon into arginine in the kidneys. Preliminary animal studies have shown that converting citrulline to arginine can help prevent excessive accumulation of fat in fat cells, which is always a good thing.

As the name suggests, the watermelon is full of water … shocking! But besides this water, this fruit is also a good source of electrolytes that help you stay hydrated and replace lost minerals when you sweat.

Watermelon is a natural diuretic that helps increase urine flow, but does not strain your body, unlike coffee or alcohol. Regular consumption of watermelon helps to relieve kidneys, while your body eliminates excess fluid.

Watermelon is a good source of potassium, essential for the proper functioning of our body. Among other things, low levels of potassium can cause mental confusion and confusion, because without an adequate level of this extremely important mineral, the electrical signals that feed the brain are interrupted.

Watermelon is also a delicious way to get your daily dose of vitamin C, a serving containing about 16% of daily needs. Vitamin C is considered one of the safest and most effective nutrients on the market and has been shown to improve immunity and overall health.

As the flesh of a watermelon matures from white to pink to red, it becomes not only softer and more delicious, but also more nutritious as the density of its antioxidants increases gradually.