Secrets of Phyto-nutrients Are Being Unraveled
COLLEGE STATION (June 30, 2008) -- A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of
July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit
may be better suited for Valentine’s Day.
That’s because scientists
say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the
body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido.
“The more we
study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is
in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” 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
able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil
said.
In watermelons, these include lycopene , beta carotene and
the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose
beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability
to relax 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 acid that works wonders
on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system,
Patil said.
“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.”
While there are many psychological and physiological
problems that can cause impotence, extra nitric oxide could help those
who need increased blood flow, which would also help treat angina, high
blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.
“Watermelon
may not be as organ specific as Viagra,” Patil said, “but it’s a great
way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects.”
The
benefits of watermelon don’t end there, he said. Arginine also helps
the urea 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 commonly eaten, two of Patil’s fellow scientists, drs.
Steve King and Hae Jeen Bang, are 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 also shown that
deep red varieties of watermelon have displaced the tomato as the
lycopene king, Patil said. Almost 92 percent 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
thought to exist only in tomatoes,” he said. “But now we know that it’s
found in higher concentrations in red watermelon varieties.”
Lycopene, however, is fat-soluble, meaning that it needs certain fats
in the blood for better absorption 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 or
spinach,” Patil said. “That would also apply to the lycopene from
watermelon, but I realize mixing watermelon with spinach or avocadoes
is a very hard sell.”
No studies have been conducted to
determine the timing of the consumption of oily vegetables to improve
lycopene absorption, he said.
“One final bit of advice for those
Fourth of July watermelons you buy,” Patil said. “They store much
better uncut if you leave them at room temperature. Lycopene levels can
be maintained even as it sits on your kitchen floor. But once you cut
it, refrigerate. And enjoy.”
Source: Texas A & M Agricultural Communications. Retrieved June 30, 2008.
|
