The Delicious Watermelon

picture from http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-watermelons/

Hello world, how are we doing? Breaking grounds, I hope. I feel weird at the moment but I'm sure I'll be good in no time. I have been trying to put this up but my network has been pretty annoying. However, my mood lit up when I found out network was giving issues somewhere in the United States too, :), I'm evil like that ;). Kidding, okay, just a little. Today, I wanted to put up the health benefits of a food/fruit then voila, my sister got watermelon earlier, so while I ate some, I decided that I'd write about that . I actually love watermelon, it is one of my favorite fruits if not the actual favorite one. Sometimes, we are unlucky and get those light pink ones that aren't sweet but when we do get those red juicy sweet ones and then refrigerate it for a while before taking it, it's like heaven.

Watermelon is a delicious fruit with 92% of its content being water. Many people believe that water melon is just water and sugar but it actually contains many nutrients with wonderful benefits. Watermelon is utterly refreshing, cold or not but I'd pick cold of course. The only battle I have with it is the seeds, they drive me crazy; it's like playing a chocolate prank on the fat kid, not cool! It may surprise you or not, to know that some people don't have this problem; living example is my mother. My mum chews the seed as she devours each piece she takes. I wish I could. Now, imagine how annoying removing the seeds can be when making smoothies or fruit salad, yup, you guessed it, it takes serious patience - something I'm still searching for in the stores. As annoying as the seeds may be, they are not strong enough to stop me from enjoying the goodness of the red juicy fruit.

NUTRIENTS

This delicious fruit contains many nutrients that work together to keep your body feeling good. The fact that it is 92% water does not deter the fact that it is a great source of other nutrients which are listed below.

• Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and C
• Lycopene
• Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, Choline, Betaine
• Citrulline and Arginine ( Amino Acids) 
• and of course water (92%) 

I wanted to explain what all these are before listing the general benefits so you know what does what, but then this post may not end, *sigh* . So if you need to know what anything is, you could check it out or ask in the comment section. For the ones I can, I'll put the nutrient responsible for it in brackets in the benefits section.

HEALTH BENEFITS

The health benefits of watermelon seem too good to be true sometimes because I'm one of those who just feel healthy foods don't taste good ( I know better, just saying, generally). I'm so glad to have nice options. Some of the wonderful benefits include;

• It helps to strengthen immunity, prevent cell damage, heal wounds, promote healthy teeth and gums (Vit C)
• It aids in maintaining eye sight (Vit A)
• It helps brain function (Vitamin B6)
• Fights heart disease (Lycopene)
• Fights cancers - mainly prostate cancer (Lycopene and Vit C as an antioxidant)
• Helps muscle and nerve function (Potassium)
• Helps maintain the body's proper electrolyte and acid-base balance (Potassium)
• Helps prevent Asthma (Vit C)
• Helps lower the risk of high blood pressure
• Helps maintain cardiovascular function (Citrulline and Arginine)
• Aids in digestion ( water)
• Aids in reducing chronic inflammation (Choline)
• Great for your skin and hair ( water and Vit A)
• Helps prevent over accumulation of body fat (Citrulline)
• It is a natural diuretic

Can you see how amazing it is? And I can't get over the fact that it is just delicious!

CAUTION

As always, I like to tell us that our bodies are different and may react to different things in different ways and so it is always necessary to discuss your diet with your physician especially when you're on medication or have a medical history of some sort. 

That being said, watermelon has been said to have some side effects as well. Let's take a look at some of them:

• Some people may have allergic reactions from consuming watermelon due to the allergens in it. The allergies are said to be similar to those gotten from the consumption of carrots, celery, and cucumber. 
• Too much consumption may cause gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, diarrhea, bloating and indigestion. This is due to too much consumption of the lycopene in the fruit.
• Too much consumption could cause hyperkalemia (high level of potassium which causes kidney malfunction and heart conditions)
• Too much consumption could also cause impotence.

RECIPES

I like my watermelon cut in pieces on its own, mixed with other fruits as fruit salad, juiced up on its own or blended with other fruits as a smoothie. However it is presented, I'll take it especially when it's cold.

Ok guys, tell me, how do you enjoy your watermelon? Be a darling and share some of your recipes and knowledge/experiences with us below.