Many of us suffer from raised blood pressure (hypertension) some time. Instead of taking a statin drug, eat watermelon – it does the job just as well, researchers have discovered.
The fruit is the richest edible source of the amino acid L-citrulline, which regulates healthy blood pressure.
Once in the body, L-citrulline is converted to L-arginine, another amino acid. However, the latter can cause nausea, gastrointestinal problems and diarrhea when it’s taken as a dietary supplement, especially among adults who already suffer from raised blood pressure.
In a small study of nine adults, their blood pressure normalized after they consumed six grams of watermelon extract every day for six weeks.
(Source: American Journal of Hypertension, 2010; doi: 10.1038/ajh.2010.142).
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