Health benefits of watermelon for those aged 50+

When I was a kid, my grandpappy regaled me with tales of his childhood. One of the most memorable? How he and his pals would slip through the fence and steal a farmer’s watermelons. Ooh! They just tasted so fresh and good! Until the farmer wised up, and “spiked” the best-looking one. The results for the youthful crooks were anything but happifying. But if you legitimately acquire your melons, here are five health benefits of watermelon, especially for those aged 50 and older.

The health benefits of watermelon

1. Gives your skin that “youthful” look

No, you don’t need to fill your tub with watermelon juice. Just eat it! Watermelons are full of lycopene, the same stuff that makes tomatoes red. Lycopene has been found to protect skin from UV damage. Yes, tomatoes have lots of lycopene (Ketchup! Yum!), but watermelon has 40% more than raw tomatoes.

And while you’re yumming up the melon, you’re also taking in vitamin C. Two cups gives you up to 50% of your daily requirements. Worried about wrinkles? That C-vitamin and lycopene both take care of collagen, which could scare away fine lines and wrinkles. Note, eating watermelon doesn’t mean you can skip lathering on sunscreen!

2. Eye protection

We aging folks worry about eye problems. Macular degeneration. Cataracts. All baaad! Again, that lycopene we talked about can reduce macular degeneration risk by nearly a third. Some research suggests lycopene can stave off cataracts, as can vitamin C.

Another “L” chemical in watermelon is lutein, both it and zeaxanthin are in watermelon, and one study found those who ate watermelon had more of both of these characteristics in their systems. Both of the compounds protect eyes.

That’s two of five ways watermelon helps. Keep reading.

3. Blood pressure reduction

More ways watermelon helps us old geezers? A little-spoken-of amino acid in the big fruit. L-citrulline can help with blood pressure issues. Seven out of eight research papers reviewed by a team in 2021 showed watermelon flesh eaters, juice drinkers, or extract imbibers had lowered blood pressure.

And here comes lycopene again. It too, has been shown to help with blood pressure issues. Watermelon also hands off a bit of potassium, which can reduce blood pressure problems associated with too much sodium.

4. Weight loss friend

Watermelon has a lot of what? Water! A two-cup serving of watermelon only adds 90 calories to your intake. One study found those who ate watermelon generally ate healthier than those who didn’t. The watermelon lovers ate less fat and added sugar, and took in more fiber and other healthful nutrients.

One study had some overweight and obese folks eat two cups of watermelon daily for a month. After the month of watermelon eating, the participants took a break. Then for a month, they’d eat as many calories as found in a cookie as a snack for another month. Both the cookie-like snack and the watermelon had the same number of calories. But on the cookie month, body weight went up; when chowing watermelon, the weight went down. When on the watermelon month, folks said they felt “full” for up to two hours after the melon. After the cookie binge? Full for only 20 minutes.

Chalk those results up to the fiber and water in the watermelon. The fiber slows sugar absorption and bulks up the stuff in your tummy. You feel fuller and reduce your appetite.

5. Add lots and lots of fiber to your diet – if you eat watermelon right

Yes, eating that red watermelon flesh adds lots of water and some fiber to your system. Want more fiber? Don’t stop with the red stuff. Like another garden favorite—the cucumber—every part of the watermelon is edible. Yes, you can eat the rind!

The rind gives you 10 times more fiber than the red flesh. Worried about blood pressure? Eating the rind will give you 50% more citrulline, which, as we said, lowers blood pressure.

To eat the rind, wash it first. Bacteria on the rind can go inside the melon on your knife, so even if you’re just eating the melon flesh, wash the rind. Got one of those rare watermelons with seeds? You can eat those too! Try roasting them. And be sure to chew them—otherwise, they’ll just be a passing fancy without benefits.

Want to know how to choose the juiciest, sweetest, ripest watermelon? Here’s the secret.

Major source, aarp.org

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