Watermelon Health Benefits

I love watermelon! Although it’s sadly not fruit I can grow myself in London, I cannot resist its allure on a hot summer’s day! There are lots of other reasons why we should be enjoying it too and there are so many watermelon health benefits.

The name watermelon is quite accurate as it is 92% water.  However, it still contains some amazing therapeutic compounds that will help our health!

It contains vitamin C, beta-carotene and lycopene, B1, B6, biotin, magnesium, potassium and dietary fibre.

Firstly, let’s think about the energetics of a watermelon. It is very cooling. Therefore, it is great for removing excess heat. This is why its so refreshing in the summer!

If you are familiar with Ayurveda then the pitta dosha tends to suffer from excess heat and inflammation so watermelon could be really helpful for pitta types.

This cooling nature of watermelon can also be used topically to soothe the heat and inflammation on the skin. Therefore, you could try using the juice or rind for rashes particularly heat rashes.

Other Ways to Use Watermelon

  • Watermelon is a diuretic and can help difficulty with peeing.
  • The seeds of the watermelon contain cucurbocitrin which helps lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.
  • Watermelon is the richest source of the amino acid citrulline which converts to arginine and nitric oxide in the body that also improves blood flow and reduces blood pressure.
  • The seeds can also be chewed as a remedy for constipation.
  • The rind is rich in silicon and also can reduce high blood pressure.
  • Watermelon juice is also rich in alpha-hydroxy acids citric acid and malic acid. These are natural exfoliants used in skin care products so to make a DIY scrub then use watermelon juice to get rid of dead skin cells, brighten complexion and stimulate collagen production!
  • Watermelon is  an ally for the kidneys and just drinking watermelon juice and water for a day or two can be used as a kidney cleanse.
  • Watermelon rind can be juiced or you can dry the rind and make a tea, or pickle the rind in salt.