The Benefits of Watermelon for Men

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Watermelon is our #2 food choice for men

Sweet, pink, ripe watermelon is a fat free snack great for overall health.

You may already know that the benefits of watermelon for men (and for women, for that matter) include the fact that this fruit is a good source of vitamin C. And that it’s great for hydration. It’s great for adding variety to the diet and is good for health, whatever your sex.

But watermelon has some nutrients that are particularly beneficial to men.

Why is watermelon good for men’s health?

Although watermelon is a great food choice for everyone, it just may offer more important nutrition for men than for women.

In 2008 it was discovered that watermelon could be nature’s sexual medicine for men. That’s because of one very special nutrient, citrulline.

And thanks to this discovery, for men, watermelon and sex are forever linked. You can see why this luscious, summer fruit makes our list of the 10 foods every man should eat.

View the list of all 10 best foods for men’s sexual health

What is citrulline?

Citrulline is a naturally-occurring amino acid. It is considered a non-essential amino because your body can produce it naturally. However, ever since a 2008 study on the citrulline in watermelon, men have had an interest in getting an added boost of this amino acid. And since watermelon is one of the best natural sources, this fruit is now an “it” food for men’s sexual health.

That’s because the body converts the citrulline in watermelon into l-argenine, which is a precursor to nitric oxide, which helps with blood vessels dilation.

In other words, in concentrated doses, some experts believe that the citrulline in watermelon could work as a replacement for erectile dysfunction medication. (WebMD even goes so far as to call watermelon “nature’s Viagra.”)

Before using watermelon as a replacement for sexual dysfunction medication, be sure to check with a medical professional.

The citrulline in watermelon may improve blood flow but does not improve sex drive

Unfortunately, there are many misinterpretations of the claim that watermelon may help your sex life. Many articles promoting watermelon’s ability to promote nitric oxide have confused better blood flow with improved sex drive. As far as we know, watermelon is not linked to sex drive in men – or women for that matter.

In addition, although the nutrients in watermelon improve a man’s ability to achieve an erection, it isn’t fully understood just how much watermelon would be required in order for the eater of this summer fruit to appreciate a “viagra-like” effect.

The effects of watermelon rind

It is known that the citrulline in watermelon is concentrated near the rind, so if you wanted to experiment with watermelon at home, you might want to work on your recipe for pickled watermelon rind.

The same research paper notes that yellow and orange watermelons offer a greater boost of citrulline than what comes from the flesh of red watermelons. So if you’re on the hunt for a citrulline boost but aren’t into rinds, you might want to buy yourself a golden watermelon.

More watermelon benefits for men

In addition to citrulline, watermelon benefits include lycopene. Did you know that watermelon is one of the finest sources of lycopene, a carotenoid extremely beneficial to cardiovascular health?

This is, of course, beneficial to both sexes. After all, we all need good cardiovascular health to keep the blood pumping and achieve sexual climax. But studies show that increased intake of lycopene may prevent prostate cancer, making it a more important nutrient for men than for women.

Watermelon benefits for men include the fact that this low-calorie food is a source of vitamin A. This indicates that watermelon has benefits for skin, since vitamin A is said to encourage collagen growth.

The skin benefits of watermelon offer a nutritional boost for women as well as men, as is the fact that studies indicate the fruit may be helpful for relieving muscle soreness and reducing inflammation. Another great reason for everyone to eat more watermelon!

Watermelon seeds benefits for men

Interestingly, it is not just the flesh of watermelon that offers men sexual nutrition. The benefits of watermelon seeds to men may have you reconsidering spitting out those seeds!

These seeds of watermelon are nutrient rich. They are considered a good source of iron, magnesium and zinc.

What’s most interesting about the nutrition in watermelon seeds when it comes to men’s health is that these are three key nutrients for sexual health. A deficiency in iron can cause fatigue. Magnesium is involved in sex hormone production. And zinc is sometimes called the “man’s mineral,” because it is essential for prostate and sperm health. Who knew watermelon seeds were so healthy?

Watermelon juice benefits for men

As with most fruits and vegetables, the juice of watermelon gives you many of the fruit’s benefits but not as much as you would get from eating a slice of juicy watermelon.

However drinking watermelon juice will still give you a dose of the nutrients important to men’s sexual health as well as help keep you hydrated and even keep electrolytes in balance.

Discover why watermelon is considered an aphrodisiac for men and women