�A stale slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday raw material. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine's Day.
That's because scientists enunciate watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body's blood vessels and crataegus oxycantha even increase libido.
"The more we cogitation watermelons, the more we realize just how awe-inspiring a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human soundbox," said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station.
"We've always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study."
Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or capable to react with the human torso to gun trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.
In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients - citrulline - whose good functions ar now beingness unraveled. Among them is the ability to loosen up blood vessels, much like Viagra does.
Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino group acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.
"The citrulline-arginine human relationship helps heart health, the immune arrangement and english hawthorn prove to be very helpful for those wHO suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes," aforementioned Patil. "Arginine boosts nitrous oxide, which relaxes rake vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to do by erectile dysfunction and peradventure even prevent it."
While in that respect are many psychological and physiological problems that commode cause impotency, extra nitric oxide could help those who want increased blood flow, which would too help care for angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.
"Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra," Patil aforementioned, "but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects."
The benefits of citrullus vulgaris don't end there, he said. Arginine also helps the carbamide cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from our bodies.
Citrulline, the precursor to arginine, is found in higher concentrations in the rind of watermelons than the flesh. As the rind is not usually eaten, deuce of Patil's fellow scientists, drs. Steve King and Hae Jeen Bang, ar working to breed new varieties with higher concentrations in the flesh.
In addition to the research by Texas A&M, watermelon's phyto-nutrients are being studied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service in Lane, Oklahoma.
As an added bonus, these studies have likewise shown that deep red River varieties of watermelon get displaced the tomato as the lycopene king, Patil said. Almost 92 per centum of watermelon is water, but the remaining 8 percent is loaded with lycopene, an anti-oxidant that protects the human heart, prostate and skin health.
"Lycopene, which is also found in red grapefruit, was historically intellection to live only in tomatoes," he said. "But now we know that it's found in higher concentrations in red citrullus vulgaris varieties."
Lycopene, however, is fat-soluble, meaning that it inevitably certain fats in the blood for better concentration by the body, Patil said.
"Previous tests have shown that lycopene is much better absorbed from tomatoes when mixed in a salad with oily vegetables like avocado pear or spinach," Patil aforesaid. "That would also give to the lycopene from watermelon, just I realize mixing watermelon vine with spinach or avocadoes is a very hard sell."
No studies have been conducted to determine the timing of the wasting disease of oily vegetables to improve lycopene absorption, he said.
"One last bit of advice for those Fourth of July watermelons you buy," Patil said. "They store much better full-length if you leave them at room temperature. Lycopene levels pot be retained even as it sits on your kitchen floor. But once you cut it, refrigerate. And enjoy."
Writer: Rod Santa Ana
Source: Dr. Bhimu Patil
Texas A&M University - Agricultural Communications
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