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- Author, Abubakar Maccido
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Watermelon na one fruit wey many pipo like well-well, especially for places wey dey hot. Pipo like am becos e get plenty water and e sweet for mouth.
Watermelon na centuries old fruit wey dey juicy and sweet, and many pipo see am as perfect treat to quench thirst during serious heat.
Wit bright red flesh and little seeds wey full di body, watermelon get plenty nutrients and antioxidants wey include vitamins A and C.
For interview wit BBC News Pidgin, one dietitian, Sa’adutu Sulaiman for Kano state, northern Nigeria tok say “apart from say watermelon sweet, e get plenty beta health benefits.”
She add say all dis beta tins wey watermelon dey do na sake of di water wey full am and some special tins wey dey inside like lycopene (wey dey make am red) and citrulline.
Watermelon na natural source of citrulline. Citrulline na amino acid wey fit support beta erections.
Dietitian Sulaiman say watermelon na natural Viagra wey dey help men wey get low sexual performance, as e dey increase blood flow to di penis, wey dey allow men to easily get erection without arousal.
“Research don show say citrulline wey dey watermelon fit help men wey get small wahala wit performance as e dey help blood flow well to di penis” she add.
Health benefits of watermelon
Dis na some of di health benefits wey dey inside watermelon according to Dietitian Sulaiman.
- E dey help bodi hold water: Watermelon na 92% water. Na why e dey help bodi stay hydrated, and e dey very important as e dey make all part of di bodi function well, especially wen heat dey.
- E dey reduce muscle pain (without wahala): If your body dey pain you afta serious exercise, watermelon fit help. E get citrulline wey dey help reduce dat pain. Di better part be say e no go disturb your belle like some pain medicine (like ibuprofen). If you wan reduce muscle pain, try drink like two cup of fresh watermelon juice befor you do heavy exercise.
- E dey support heart and blood flow: Watermelon good for your heart. Dat red tin inside am wey dem dey call lycopene dey help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Di citrulline wey dey inside (especially for di white part of di skin) dey turn to anoda tin for body wey dem dey call arginine, and dat one dey help produce nitric oxide wey dey make blood vessel relax. Dis one go make blood flow better for your whole bodi.
- For men wey dey get wahala wit performance (Erectile Dysfunction): Research don show say citrulline wey dey watermelon fit help men improve dia performance for di oda room as e dey help blood flow well to di penis. To get di amount wey dem use for research, you go need chop like 3.5 portion of red watermelon every day. But yellow watermelon get like four times more citrulline pass red one, so just one portion fit do di work.
- E dey help kidney: Sake of say watermelon get plenty water, e dey help flush dirty tins comot from kidney, and e fit help prevent kidney stone for some pipo.
- E dey boost immune system and eye: Watermelon get Vitamin A wey good for eye and skin. E still get Vitamin C wey dey help bodi fight sickness.
- Help skin health: Watermelon get Vitamins A and C, and di vitamins dey important for skin health. Vitamin C either you chop am or apply am for body dey produce collagen, one protein wey dey keep your skin fresh and your hair strong. Vitamin A also dey important for healthy skin since e dey help create and repair skin cells.
- Manage blood sugar: Watermelon dey provide great alternative if you dey try to keep your blood glucose levels steady or reduce your risk of diabetes. It has few carbs and low glycemic load. Dis one mean say wen watermelon enta your bloodstream, e dey produce less glucose pass oda foods.
Nutritional profile (per 100g of raw watermelon)
- Energy: 30 Kcal
- Carbohydrate: 7.55g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 0.61g
- Fat: 0.15g
- Iron: 0.24mg
- Folate: 3µg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Saturated Fat: 0.016g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.037g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.050g
Watermelon seeds dey good for eating?
Health experts say watermelon seeds get less sugar and more fiber pass dia flesh. Di seed also contain citrulline.
Watermelon seeds — dried or raw — dey rich in magnesium and folate, wey dey help your body work well and avoid disease. Seeds also get di types of fatty acids wey dey lower bad cholesterol for your blood and help you avoid heart attack and stroke.
Research show say melons, in general, dey good for you, but we need more studies to understand how watermelon specifically affects your body.