Watermelon is one of the most popular summer fruits out there because of its refreshing and delicious taste. It contains only 30 calories per serving of 100gm along with a good amount of vitamin C, vitamin A, and various essential electrolytes. Till now you may have consumed this appetizing fruit for its taste without knowing the health benefits it offers. Therefore in this article, we will talk about five health benefits that watermelon offers.

1. Keeps you Hydrated

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Watermelon is about 92% of water which is why you feel so refreshed after eating it. Not only is it a good source of water but also some essential electrolytes. Eating watermelon helps your body to replenish all the water lost due to sweating in summers. You can preferably consume watermelon as a snack/midmeal or as a pre-workout food as well. You can even season your watermelon with some rock salt/black pepper/chat masala as well.

2. Watermelon is Good for Your Heart

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Adding watermelon to your diet has been shown to improve cardiovascular health. This is due to the presence of Lycopene which is a carotenoid that is found in watermelon and this is what gives the fruit its reddish color. Even tomatoes and red chilies have this substance, but the amount of lycopene is more in watermelon than in tomatoes. 

Lycopene helps to reduce bad cholesterol and thereby reduces the risk of developing heart-related diseases. Apart from lycopene, watermelon also has something called l-citrulline, which is an amino acid that helps improve blood flow in your body in turn improving heart health by lowering blood pressure and blood cholesterol. 

3. Can Help while Losing Weight

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When you are on a fat loss program, your main priority is to consume fewer calories than your body is burning throughout the day in order to achieve a state called calories deficit. Therefore, it becomes really important what kind of foods you are consuming in order to maintain that calorie deficit as eating any calorie-dense foods over a limit can hamper your weight loss program. 

In such a situation, watermelon can be your best friend, as this delicious fruit is not just healthy but also very low in calories. You just get about 30 calories per 100g of watermelon, hence consuming about 200g of watermelon will ensure that your taste buds are satisfied while keeping you full and satiated. Hence if you are someone who is planning to shed some kilos, having watermelon mid-meal or at any time of the day will make the process easier.

4. Good for Nerve Functioning

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Watermelon is a rich source of potassium that can be beneficial in regulating nerve function. In more simple terms, it facilitates electric impulses and messages. Lower intake of potassium in the human body can cause numbness and fluid imbalance in the cells. 

So if you are suffering from any kind of cramps in your body, then this could be due to the low levels of potassium in your body. Hence adding watermelon can help your body meet its potassium requirement for the day as you will get about 112mg of potassium per 100g of watermelon.

5. Rich in Nutrients

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Apart from lycopene and l-citrulline, watermelon provides a decent amount of vitamin C as well which helps your body repair its damaged tissues and strengthen the immune system. Just in a single bowl of watermelon, you get about 21% vitamin C of the RDA (recommended daily allowance). It also includes vitamin A, which is really beneficial for your eye health. If you talk about minerals you also get a great amount of potassium and magnesium in a serving of watermelon which is really important for cell functioning.

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Bottomline

Watermelon is nature's candy which is not only delicious but offers some great benefits for the body as well. Therefore, adding a bowl of watermelon during summers is the best way to keep your body hydrated and your taste buds satisfied as well.

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