Researchers at the University of Florida have discovered that a slice of watermelon at breakfast could lower blood pressure, an important discovery in the fight against heart disease, reports the Daily Mail.
Essentially, watermelon is the richest edible source of L-citrulline, which is closely related to L-arginine, the amino acid necessary for the formation of nitric oxide, which is essential to the regulation of vascular tone and healthy blood pressure. Once in the body, L-citrulline is converted to L-arginine.
The study’s author, Professor Arturo Figueroa, stated six grams of an amino acid from watermelon extract were administered to four men and five women aged 51 to 57. After six weeks, arterial function had improved, and as a consequence, blood pressure level was reduced in all nine patients.
Figueroa said taking a watermelon pill might allow patients to reduce the amount of blood pressure medication they were taking.
“Given the encouraging evidence generated by this preliminary study, we hope to continue the research and include a much larger group of participants in the next round,” he said.
Watermelon is low in calories, and high in fibre and nutrients.