Watermelon or Viagra, the the choice is yours?

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By Health Conscious


We never knew just how good watermelons really were.
We never knew just how good watermelons really were.

For those times when you are ready for loving - Slice the Melon

Move over Viagra and Cialis, the watermelon is here to get men ready for some loving.

Dr. Bhimu Patil of Texas A&M U is telling us that watermelons are good for more than just being a tasty picnic treat. They can also get the old fires burning and ready for love.

Dr Patil is the director of TAMU's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center and says "The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,"

We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study.”

Watermelons are full of bioactive phytonutrients such as lycopene, beta carotene and our growing friend citrulline.


Citrullines the natural Male Enhancement

One of Citrullines abilities is to relax the blood vessels much the same as Viagra without the side effects of unnatural prescription drugs. Along with relaxing the blood vessels, it also converts into arginine when consumed. This arginine is an amino acid which enhances the whole circulation system including the heart and helps strengthen the immune system.

“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”

Unfortunately for most varieties of watermelons, the majority of the citrulline is found in the rind but researchers are working to find varieties which contain more concentrations in the flesh.

If this isn't enough reason for a run on watermelons this year, look at some of the other great benefits found in that beautiful red flesh.

More Lycopene than tomatoes

New studies have found that there are higher concentrations of lycopene in watermelons than those found in tomatoes.

Lycopene is a top notch antioxidant which has been found to have the ability to protect the skin from the sun being among it's best tricks. For a while it was believed that either heat or oil were needed to get the best benefits of lycopene but new evidence is suggesting that the measuring methods were flawed. The new thoughts are that heat and oil only allow the measuring method the ability to register more of the lycopene that is available not show an accurate measurement of amounts present.

This is great news for us pure watermelon lovers, the idea of having to cook it, adding olive oil or eating with an avocado is not that appetizing.

All in all, watermelon would be a great addition to your regular diet so make it 1 or 2 of your 5 to13 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

Also remember, do not think you can get isolated citrulline or lycopene and receive the same benefits. All these phytonutrients contained in natural foods come with a host of integrated compounds which are dependant on each other. You can never get the same benefits from isolated or synthetic compounds without all of their co dependent nutrients and many times you actually do damage to your long term health by using them.

There are live whole food supplements which are able to lock in the needed complex compounds but that is for another day.

Eat more Watermelon

and

Thanks for visiting

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Linc2010  says:
3 months ago

I love Watermelon! Now I love it even more! Thanks!

Linc2010 profile image

Linc2010  says:
3 months ago

Thank you for your interest in my Hub Page and product.

jcorkern profile image

jcorkern  says:
3 months ago

Great Info. I have read over a few of your hubs, You do outstanding work. The best part is that it is great info that anyone can use, not just one specific group. Thanks,

Jim

cgull8m profile image

cgull8m  says:
2 months ago

I agree with Jcorkern, it is natural and plus if we add love it will do wonders without the side effects.

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

Cgull8m - I have yet to figure out why we have accepted "side effects" as normal or even acceptable.

Natural is the only way to go :-)

Sally's Trove profile image

Sally's Trove  says:
2 months ago

One of my favorite out-to-dinner treats as a kid was pickled watermelon rind. I haven't had it in years, but I do know you can buy it in the grocery and there are plenty of recipes around. I wonder what effects slaked lime, sugar, and vinegar have on citrulline?

Perhaps oysters will be replaced with watermelon rinds in aphrodesiac lore. Food for thought. :)

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

Sally, I don't know what the effects of pickling would have, Maybe it is time for you to do some experiments. :-)

Sally's Trove profile image

Sally's Trove  says:
2 months ago

I might pickle the rinds and send them to you, but are you volunteering as a subject?? I thought maybe you'd just continue on your own with the excellent research you started. Can't help it, I'm ROTFLMAO!

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

Mm volunteering might be considered, especially if the pickles are really really good.

I have already been trying to research but am not the best subject for this kind of test because of the difficulty in telling the difference with or without the watermelon. It is just fun having a great excuse to indulge more often.

I don't have a clue what ROTFLMAO is.

Rhym O'Reison profile image

Rhym O'Reison  says:
2 months ago

Brag, brag, brag! :) I would love to try pickled watermelon rinds from Sally's Trove. I bet they are great and that is my kind of science experiment.

BTW...it means: Rolling On The Floor Laughing My A** Off

spryte profile image

spryte  says:
2 months ago

*stops at the store on the way home and picks up a big ol' watermelon*

Oh honey....I'm home and are you gonna get lucky!!! :)

and absolutely...just one more reason to love something I already love!

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

"-)

Thanks for enlightening me, I have seen that several times and wondered.

I can't wait to get those pickles either, maybe she'll send you a jar too.

Sally's Trove profile image

Sally's Trove  says:
2 months ago

This is fun. The challenge here is finding the slaked lime. I promise I will do a Hub with the recipe and the resources for the ingredients. Meanwhile, Tim, I still leave it up to you to find out if lime, sugar, and vinegar destroy the beneficial properties of citrulline. BWTT. (Be well till then!)

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

Sally, you're a party pooper. Ok I'll splash water on my face and get technical.:-)

Any alteration to a natural substance changes the beneficial properties of that substance. The easy way to understand this is to know that if it didn't get produced by nature your body don't recognise it. Our bodies over many many years have evolved to make use of natural plant and animals as a source for nutrients. These natural nutrients are needed for building and regenerating every aspect of our lives.

Altering these natural nutrients affects the way the body uses them. If you want the mostest from your nutrients, go natural, organic fresh off the vine. Yes we have become a little "soft" in our food decisions, we should be eating more of the individual foods. This means things like the rind of a watermelon, the skin of fruilts and vegetables or the organs of naturally raised animals. (Thankfully there are alternatives to actually having to eat these things.)

The intricacies are too complicated for a comment so you will have to wait for the more in-depth discussions which are soon to be, stay tuned.

I just finished an ebook which was taking a majority of my time but am now ready to concentrate on writing more hubs.

Again thanks to all for your comments.

Ps Sally, See if you can find a natual way to make the pickles without the slaked lime. It has been used for centuries but that doesn't mean it is good for you.

Sally's Trove profile image

Sally's Trove  says:
2 months ago

We are both party poopers! Can't wait for the next exchange.

You are right, Tim, when we play around with the essences of the things that come from nature, when we alter them, we don't know the consequences. However, some alterations are for the good, as in those alterations that are having a positive impact on cancer care and cure.

Be that as it may. I do want to know if watermelon rind can be made more palatable without destroying its benefits, and if it's pickling that can do that, well, that's great, because that's a new and profitable business for someone. Sure beats Extenzee or whatever that product is!

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

Sally, your statement about some alterations being for the good is relative. Yes there are some synthetic pharmaceuticals which are having an effect on the explosive problem of cancer. For the near future there is a large need for a good amount of research to combat these problems.

However, this type of research is self replicating. As long as we continue to focus on understanding human illness and disease we are destined to have plenty to understand. If we can ever make the transition to understanding human health and wellness we can break the cycle. Imagine if you will the possibility of cancer being an unusual problem. I am not talking about a cure, I am talking about an elimination of the factors causing.

Yes there are methods which can maintain a majority of the nutrients from the best source which is plants and provide it in a very lifestyle friendly way. Unfortunately, it is not pickling and yes it is a wonderful business opportunity.

Do we have the knowledge to make this a reality? Yes. The only question is when.

Shadesbreath profile image

Shadesbreath  says:
2 months ago

I love watermelon. But you know, they've bred the fun out of them some if you aren't careful. They've developed all the damn seeds out of em. We used to have so much fun when we were kids out on the back porch spitting seeds. You had to purse your lips just right, but you could make like you were gonna whistle, then lift a seed to your lips on the tip of your tongue and make fabulous, hollow-sounding seed spitting noises. Plus, the obvious reward of having the best distance or hitting the dog. Plus, we got to worry about swallowing them and then waking up some morning with vines growing out of our ears or (imagine the giggling of eight-year olds) our bottoms!!! But no... now they're all seedless, or at least usually they are. I swear the ones with seeds are sweeter too.

Anyway, sorry to ramble. Good hub tho.

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious  says:
2 months ago

Shadesbreath, I agree about the seeds. The idea of breeding seedless fruits is a brilliant business idea, a grower has to continue buying your seeds because they can't save what isn't there. The big problem is the same with almost all the current varieties of fruits and vegetables, they are breeding the taste and nutrition out in the name of being pretty and resisting ripening so they last longer. (well at least appear to last longer)

I think someone could make a lot of money providing the old fashion varieties that taste better. They would just have to do a couple of commercials just like the scene you described. '-)

Hollow_MarkeD profile image

Hollow_MarkeD  says:
2 months ago

My answer to your dilemma is a resounding - Watermelon!

garmentmerchant profile image

garmentmerchant  says:
2 months ago

Thanks for checking out my hub you got some great info. Who knew?

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2  says:
2 months ago

Thanks for dropping by my hub. But here I find a gold mine watermelon the love inducer! Great info, and educational Never knew this about watermelon.

hot dorkage profile image

hot dorkage  says:
2 months ago

watermelon. mmmmm. lucky me I found hub in August. Gonna go out and get me some.

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