Health Benefits of Watermelon

I'm starting a new series entitled Health Benefits with new posts every monday. The first one is one of my favorite fruits for summer: watermelon.To me watermelon just screams SUMMER and I love it as a drink or just to eat by the pool. 

Watermelon along with tomatoes are a great source of Lycopene. So what is Lycopene? Lycopene is an anti oxidant which has been found to reduce the incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research shows that Lycopene can reduce lung and colon cancer along with breast and Endometrial cancers. Lycopene is also a cartenoid(seen by human eyes as the colors: orange, red and yellow).Watermelons have also been found to contain 40% more Lycopene than tomatoes in a study done by the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Watermelon are an excellent source for Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. Two amino acids citrulline and arginine are also found which help maintain arteries and cardiovascular health.