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AYURVEDIC FOODS

WATERMELON

Health Benefits & Uses

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Ayurvedic Perspective on Watermelon
Similars: Foods and herbs similar to Watermelon
Indications: Watermelon may benefit these symptoms
Research: Effects on tongue, nervous system, temperature, elimination, etc.
Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Watermelon invites children and adults alike to step out of the heat and enjoy a refreshingly cool treat on a summer day of fun. No matter how hot the sun and elusive a shade tree, this delightful, pink fruit offers a joyful reprieve. It fundamentally cools the body and restores balance to overheated blood. From slicing the watermelon, to spitting the pits, watermelon is an essential ingredient to your summer celebrations.

Watermelon and Pitta

High in beta-carotene, watermelon substantially balances the blood and reduces Pitta justifying its prominence as a summertime fruit. As beta-carotene in carrots "brightens the eye", 1.5 servings of watermelon daily has been shown to reduce age related macular degeneration (ARMD) by 36%. A biteful or two will convince you of watermelon's eye-relaxing abilities. Watermelon contains copious amounts of the anti-oxidants lycopene and vitamin C.

Watermelon, Water Retention & the Kidneys

Watermelon is 92% water and 6% sugar. Although the large fruit might be a tempting way to relieve dehydration, watermelon's juiciness only quenches thirst temporarily. Those who suffer from water retention will be happy to hear that, ultimately, watermelon dries the body because of high levels of potassium, a diuretic. The cooling, anti-inflammatory effects of beta-carotene, combined with diuresis help watermelon flush inflammation from the urinary tract. Its low calorie count, drying quality and ability to reduce insulin resistance are ideal for Kapha dosha.

Watermelon & Libido

One more reason to enjoy watermelon this summer season: Citrulline, an amino acid in the rind and flesh of watermelon flesh, has similar properties to Viagra. They both stimulate nitric oxide which relaxes and expands blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and enhancing blood flow (and thus erectile performance). In fact, watermelon seeds are a symbol of fertility in Chinese weddings.

Watermelon & Food Combining

To receive the health benefits of watermelon, it is important to know how to eat it. Melons digest very quickly and should never be combined with other foods, even other fruits. Heavier, more difficult to digest foods prevent watermelon from traveling its normal supersonic speeds through the digestive tract. While bogged down in the resulting traffic jam, bacteria then attack the watermelon and ferment it, releasing gas. So eating watermelon at the end of a summer cook-out is a bad idea. Try eating it while the veggies are still on the grill, as a snack between meals, or drink a watermelon smoothie in the morning or afternoon.

ABOUT WATERMELON

Watermelon is a special kind of fruit known as a pepo. It has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp or endocarp). The sweet fleshy center is usually pink, orange, or yellow. Originally from South Africa, watermelon is a member of the gourd or Cucurbitaceae family along with cucumber, cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin. Although most wild gourds are inedible because they contain a bitter purgative and some are even poisonous, members of the gourd family are used as food across the world, from the bitter gourd of India praised for its medical value, to our beloved pumpkins.

Vampire pumpkins and watermelons are a folk legend from the Balkans. However, unlike the many toothed Jack O' Lantern common on Hallows Eve, people are not afraid of vampire watermelons because they lack teeth. If you have left your watermelons outside under the full moon, check carefully to ensure your watermelon has not undergone vampire transformation. The telltale sign is the appearance of a drop of blood on the skin.

Watermelon cultivation was recorded in the Nile valley from 2000BC. Watermelon seeds were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. China is currently the world's largest producer of watermelon.

BUYING & PREPARATION

If the watermelon is cut, select one by looking at the color and quality of the flesh. It should be a deep color without white streaks. If it has seeds, they should be dark in color. If the watermelon is not cut, look for a watermelon that is heavy for it's size and sounds hollow when tapped on the side. Check for existence of the white underbelly, where the watermelon sat on the ground. If the white underbelly is missing, it is a sign that the watermelon was harvested before fully ripening.

Wash the watermelon before cutting it. If too large, wipe with paper towel. Once cut, the watermelon should be refrigerated. Cover in plastic wrap to avoid dehydration and absorption of odors from other food.

COOKING WATERMELON

Browse Recipes The flesh is featured in fruit salads, paired with spices like cayenne, and served at summer barbecues, such as on the fourth of July, where the juice is more than likely to end up on the cheeks of happy children. Although most people are accustomed to eating the sweet red fleshy parts only, the seeds and white part of the rind are also edible. The seeds are roasted, seasoned and eaten as a snack food, ground up into cereal, or used to make bread in Asian countries.

Ground up melon seeds are used in the traditional version of 'horchata de melon', a drink of melon juice and seeds. The melon seeds are blended with the flesh, left to sit for a half hour, then strained and served. The melon seeds thicken the drink slightly, as well as contributing oils and proteins.

Most organisms store toxins in the skin. If you plan to eat the rind, buy organic watermelons. The rind of watermelon is featured in Southern American cooking, where it is marinated, pickled, or candied. It is stir fried and stewed in China.

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WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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When I Eat Watermelon:

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I FEEL BETTER I FEEL WORSE I FEEL THE SAME

Find foods that help me.

Is Watermelon Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Watermelon is a good fit for your body type. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

SERVING SIZE: 1 c

SPECIES: Citrullus lanatus

FAMILY: Cucurbitaceae

MEAL: BREAKFAST, SNACK-DESSERT

EAT IN: SUMMER

AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL BIOCHARACTERISTICS

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

COLD

ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD

DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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SWEET

ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion.

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PACIFIES	AGGRAVATES

HAS THE FOLLOWING

Tissue (dhatu):

Red Blood

RED-BLOOD

Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels.

SEE ALL 'RED-BLOOD' FOODS / HERBS

Affinity:
Kidney Bladder Urinary
Family:
Cucurbitaceae

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Here are the herbal actions of Watermelon:

Energy Vitality:

Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:

Refrigerant

STRONG REFRIGERANT

An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions.

SEE ALL 'REFRIGERANT' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Antioxidant

ANTIOXIDANT

An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals that lead to a chain reaction causing damage or death to cells. Antioxidants terminate these oxidation reactions.

SEE ALL 'ANTIOXIDANT' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Tonic

BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Kidney & Urinary:

Diuretic

STRONG DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Liver & Gallbladder:

Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Weight Loss:

Lowers Blood Sugar

LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR

An herb that lowers blood sugar.

SEE ALL 'LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR' FOODS / HERBS

Reproductive Health:

Aphrodisiac

APHRODISIAC

Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health.

SEE ALL 'APHRODISIAC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:

Nitric Oxide

STRONG NITRIC-OXIDE

Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health.

SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

, Vitamin C

Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.

Compare Watermelon with these Foods

Compare the following foods with Watermelon:

Grape

Grape has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Antioxidant, Diuretic, Aphrodisiac, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Cranberry

Cranberry has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Refrigerant, Alterative, Diuretic, Antioxidant, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Blueberry

Blueberry has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Livotonic, Antioxidant, Nutritive, Blood-tonic, Refrigerant

LEARN MORE

Dates (dried)

Dates (dried) has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diuretic, Aphrodisiac, Livotonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Pomegranate

Pomegranate has these Actions in Common

Antioxidant, Nutritive, Blood-tonic, Refrigerant, Alterative, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Carrot

Carrot has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diuretic, Antioxidant, Livotonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Currants (dried)

Currants (dried) has these Actions in Common

Antioxidant, Nutritive, Blood-tonic, Alterative, Livotonic

LEARN MORE

Cantaloupe / Melons

Cantaloupe / Melons has these Actions in Common

Antioxidant, Refrigerant, Livotonic, Alterative, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Prunes (dried)

Prunes (dried) has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Alterative, Diuretic, Antioxidant, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry Juice has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Antioxidant, Livotonic, Blood-tonic, Alterative

LEARN MORE

Compare Watermelon with these Herb Supplements

Compare the following herb supplements with Watermelon:

Amalaki

Amalaki has these Actions in Common

Lowers-blood-sugar, Nutritive, Refrigerant, Alterative, Antioxidant, Aphrodisiac, Blood-tonic

LEARN MORE

Vidari

Vidari has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Livotonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Nutritive, Alterative, Aphrodisiac

LEARN MORE

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Aphrodisiac, Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Nutritive, Alterative, Antioxidant

LEARN MORE

Punarnava

Punarnava has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Antioxidant, Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Lowers-blood-sugar

LEARN MORE

Pitta Massage Oil

Pitta Massage Oil has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Refrigerant

LEARN MORE

Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Blood-tonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Refrigerant

LEARN MORE

Shilajit Tonic

Shilajit Tonic has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Aphrodisiac, Diuretic, Lowers-blood-sugar

LEARN MORE

Dandelion Root

Dandelion Root has these Actions in Common

Refrigerant, Alterative, Livotonic, Lowers-blood-sugar

LEARN MORE

Cornsilk

Cornsilk has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Nutritive, Refrigerant, Alterative

LEARN MORE

Arjuna

Arjuna has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Antioxidant, Diuretic, Refrigerant

LEARN MORE

Gokshura

Gokshura has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Aphrodisiac, Diuretic, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Watermelon Research & Clinical Trials

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.