Pink Fruit or Blue Pill?

One of the best things about summer is watermelon. They are colorful, sweet, juicy gourds of goodness. I am forever indebted to the man who first looked at a watermelon and thought, “I wonder if I can eat this?” Watermelon is packed with Vitamins A and C, and in the case of the pink variety, lycopene. But watermelon is also rich in another nutrient - one which may provide ‘big’ results - citrulline. Citrulline plays a part in the production of argenine. Argenine boosts nitric acid levels and relaxes blood vessels - the same thing that Viagra does.

Don’t get excited yet, however. Scientists say that there is not enough of the substance present to have a lasting effect. “It sounds like it would be an effect that would be interesting but not a substitute for any medical treatment,” says Todd Wehner, a watermelon breeder at North Carolina State University. It would take about six cups of watermelon to sufficiently boost the arginine levels, but that would likely present another problem - frequent trips to the restroom. It would also significantly raise the sugar level in the bloodstream, and possibly the typical ‘crash’ experienced after a sugar rush. Most of the citrulline found in watermelon is located in the rind. Perhaps one day scientists will be able to extract the chemical from the rind and insert it into the tasty, edible part. Until then, watermelon comes up short in the area that counts.

Written by: Donnell Peavy