(The Epoch Times) — Blood pressure may be reduced by eating watermelon, the summertime staple, food scientists from the University of Florida announced last week.
The pilot study found that eating six grams daily of L-citrulline/L-arginine amino acids, extracted from watermelon, lowered the blood pressure of all nine participants, four men and five postmenopausal women aged 51 to 57.
Arterial function improved, reducing aortic blood pressure, during the six week test period. The patients were healthy except all had prehypertension, which can precede cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, according to FSU professor Bahram H. Arjmandi.
“These findings suggest that this ‘functional food’ has a vasodilatory effect, and one that may prevent prehypertension from progressing to full-blown hypertension, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes,” said FSU Assistant Professor Arturo Figueroa in a statement.
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Watermelon and cantelope are natural diuretics.
If people would stick to a general healthy vegetable and fruit based diet these ‘superfoods’ would form part of the diet anyhow.
The main reason alternative (natural) blood pressure lowering foods are researched is because people are too lazy to change their overall diet and hope that by eating more watermelon with their huge hamburger, large portion of fries, and other high kj food all their problems will be solved and their blood pressure will be lowered. It won’t, unless the overall diet is changed as well.
I am in a tuff spot because I currently weigh 164 pounds after loosing 8lbs this summer with low cholesteral and trigliceride levels and my pressure is 140/90. Its actually higher than last years
I agree. Its a global change in lifestyle (diet, exercise) that does the trick, not a concentrated extract from one fruit. Sad that most people won’t make the necessary lifestyle changes to take control of their health.Instead they look to a quick fix, another pill etc.
Right on Marmotte!
I’m living proof of this. I moved to a vegetable and fruit rich diet, eating meats only occasionally, cut down dairy consumption & salt and boosted my exercise. Went from stage 3 hypertension to 120/76 on average in less than 4 months.
I’m a development chef for a major organics company so I hang out with a lot of extreme vegetarians/vegans – but I’m not some crazy hardcore vegan or anything. I eat meats from time to time and I more or less consider my move to soymilk as the thing that lets me enjoy a quality cheese once in a while when I feel like it.
So yeah, lowering BP and cholesterol is doable for the average joe – without getting shackled to some drug company for the rest of your life. I’m living proof of it.
Make the switch. These changes really do work.
blood pressure will after taking water melon it is good information to us ,but is there any gas problem ? pl reply .
The watermelon consumption and lowering of BP is good news. The problem is some of us cannot tolelate too much friuts because of acidity.How do we solve this problem?