Health Benefits of Watermelon

Watermelon is the lycopene leader among fresh fruits and vegetables. Deep red varieties of watermelon have replaced the tomato as the lycopene king.  They are rich in lycopene, the red pigment also found in tomatoes, watermelon, apricots, pink grapefruit, and papaya is an important antioxidant.  It has been found to be helpful in reducing the risk of prostate, breast, and endometrial cancers, as well as lung and colon cancer according to research.  Lycopene’s ability to neutralize singlet oxygen radicals was better then the antioxidant abilities of beta-carotene and vitamin E.  - From Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics in 1989. They contain citrulline which can trigger production of a compound in the body that helps relax the body’s blood vessels, in a way similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra according to scientists in Texas.