Watermelon Mimics Viagra's Effects: Benefits of Watermelon

According to The Washington Post and CBS News, Watermelon is even better for us than we believed and may have Viagra-like effects (www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/03/AR2008070300704.html; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/02/health/webmd/main4227219.shtml).

Watermelon native to central Africa, was first grown by the ancient Egyptians. Watermelons arrived in the Americas in early 1600's and first grown in Massachusetts in 1629. In the 1700's watermelon had reached Florida. Approximately 100 million watermelons are grown in America each year. Watermelon is an aggressive vining annual, which does better in temperatures greater than 70degrees Fahrenheit. They range from five to forty pounds depending on its variety (www.uga.edu/vegetable/watermelon.html).

Watermelon is very nutritious, as noted on www.calorie-count.com. Yahoo food boasts of six healthy reasons to eat watermelon. 1.) Stay healthier- Watermelon his rich in lycopenene 40% more than tomatoes! 2.) Get your Vitamin C - 2 cups will give you close to half of daily recommended allowance 3.) Fight infection - 2 cups of watermelon gives you twenty-five percent of daily recommended allowance of beta carotene which helps the body make Vitamin A and without you set yourself up for viral infection (ex. flu) and vision problems.4.) Heal faster - Especially in the yellow-orange varieties, a rare edible source of citrulline, an amino acid used in wound healing and cell division. FYI: there's extra citrulline in the white and green part that are usually thrown away or feed to animals 5.) Sooth stress - Also a good for its potassium content which helps control blood pressure. 6.) Quench cravings- Only 96 calories in two cups! The water in the melon makes you full.

Nutritional Analysis
Good points

• Very low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Very low in sodium
• High in potassium
• Very high in vitamin A
• Very high in vitamin C

Bad point
Very high in sugar
Although these are natural sugars, they are better for you than concentrated sugars.
_{chart courtesy of www.calorie-count.com}

Just when you thought it was good for you. Well it does even more! Like what, you ask? Well studies have proved watermelon has similar effects as Viagra! Yep you got it, without drug effects! What more could we ask for in a fruit? I think it's terrific. How does it work? Remember earlier I spoke of it being a rare edible source of citrulline? Well its the citrulline that does it, its converted into another amino acid, arginine. Which produces nitric oxide and the nitric oxide helps with blood vessel dilation! How much do you eat? Well, they haven't figured that out yet but, Bhimu Patil, PHD, director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, College Station is welcoming individuals to test it out. A 4-ounce serving of watermelon has approx 150 milligrams of citrulline (http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/news/20080701/ watermelon-a-natural-viagra).

Want to have some summer fun?!!! Get together with your special someone....don't forget to grab a watermelon! See where the night leads!

• Sources:
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• http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/02/health/webmd/main4227219.shtml
• www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/03/AR2008070300704.html
• http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/news/20080701/ watermelon-a-natural-viagra
• www.uga.edu/vegetable/watermelon.html
• www.calorie-count.com