Watermelon Isn’t Just Hydrating, It’s Also Good for Your Heart

Watermelon is more than just a hydrating fruit. A growing body of evidence shows that watermelon may support heart health by improving blood flow, reducing arterial stiffness, and providing heart-healthy nutrients.

The Science Behind Watermelon’s Heart-Health Benefits

Many of watermelon’s heart health benefits are linked to a little-known chemical that improves blood flow and helps lower blood pressure.
A meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials found that long-term watermelon consumption improved measures of arterial stiffness.2 This could be good news for heart health, because arterial stiffness increases your risk of high blood pressure and, in turn, other cardiovascular diseases like stroke or heart attack.3

Other Nutrients That Help Support a Healthy Heart

In addition to L-citrulline, watermelon contains other heart-healthy chemicals and nutrients. “[Watermelon] is a naturally sweet, high-water food that can help people add fruit and important nutrients to the diet in a very approachable way,” says Katz.
One of these nutrients is lycopene, which is a carotenoid antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects. This is particularly relevant because inflammation is linked to heart disease, and reducing inflammation with medications can help treat heart disease.45

Watermelon is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, all of which contribute to heart health.4

Eating Watermelon Is Associated With Better Overall Diet Quality

Research suggests that people who eat watermelon also tend to have healthier diets, which could have positive carryover effects for heart health.
In a large national study of adults and children in the United States, those who consumed watermelon had higher overall diet quality scores. This included higher intakes of lycopene and other carotenoids, as well as fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A. Watermelon-eaters also consumed less added sugar and saturated fat than those who didn’t eat watermelon.6

The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of sugar and saturated fats to improve your heart health. They also recommend limiting salt and processed foods.7