Watermelon Benefits For the Health

Dalma Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported by U.S. Department of Agriculture wrote watermelons stored in room temperature nutrients much better than watermelon stored at refrigerated or freshly picked melons,

Penelope Perkins-Veazie and Julie Collins of the Center for Agricultural Research in Lane, Oklahoma, specifically examining the elements found in watermelon carotene, carotene is an antioxidant antidote to the elements of free radicals caused by sun or chemical elements that endanger health.

Watermelon is rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that makes watermelons and tomatoes red and may help prevent heart disease and some cancers.

Perkins-Veazie and Collins tested several variatas watermelon stored for 14 days at 70 F (21 degrees Celsius), 55 F (13 degrees C), and 41 F (5 degrees C).

The result, watermelon fruit stored in room temperature 27 degrees C in air-conditioned room has a much better nutritional content. While freshly cut watermelon stored at room temperature 40 percent more lycopene and 50 percent to 139 percent extra betacarotene which later converted by the body into vitamin A.

"All fruits watermelons used in our study have been selected by farmers and perfectly ripe when harvested," the researchers said. They said the findings showed watermelons continue to produce fruit nutrients after being picked and cold temperatures slow the process.

The ability to survive and develop nutrient content of watermelon fruit is between 14 to 21 days at 13 degrees Celsius after harvest. While at a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius (in a refrigerator) watermelon starts to nutrient enrichment and after a week it will rot.