What Are The Health Benefits Of Watermelon Beta-carotene?

Beta-carotene is a class of red, orange and yellow pigments synthesized by plants that help to protect the plants against damage from sunlight. Beta-carotene is found in high amounts in watermelon, as well as in carrots, papaya, pumpkin and sweet potatoes, and it provides a variety of health promoting benefits.

Antioxidant Benefits

The typical American diet contains between 0.5 mg and 6.5 mg of beta-carotene per day. According to 2003 research by A.J. Edwards et al, and published in the "Journal of Nutrition," the regular consumption of watermelon can notably increase your blood concentrations of beta-carotene. This is helpful because beta-carotene is a potent antioxidant that helps to prevent free radical induced damage to you cells and DNA, states Bastyr University. Studies suggest that antioxidants such as beta-carotene help to prevent and treat diseases such as heart disease and certain cancers such as colon, ovarian and cervical cancer.

Beta-Carotene As a Source of Vitamin A

When you consume beta-carotene from watermelon or other sources, your liver converts some of it into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to support your immune system and it promotes the development of new, healthy cells and enhances wound healing. According to Phyllis Balch, CNC and James Balch, MD, in their book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," vitamin A also helps to prevent night blindness and other eye problems, and it helps to both prevent and treat skin disorders such as acne.

Additional Beta-Carotene Benefits

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive disease that is characterized by symptoms such as coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms' its most common cause is smoking. According to "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database," clinical research suggests that a diet high in beta-carotene helps to reduce the prevalence of bronchitis and dyspnea in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Preliminary research also suggests that a diet rich in carotenoids such as beta-carotene can help to decrease the risk of developing ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women. In addition, population studies indicate that a higher dietary intake of beta-carotene is associated with improved physical performance and muscle strength in elderly people.

Considerations

"Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database" warns that your body only absorbs between 5 percent and 30 percent of the beta-carotene found in dietary sources such as watermelon because fibers and proteins in food reduce beta-carotene absorption. You can enhance the absorption of beta-carotene by consuming watermelon at the same time as a food containing dietary fat. Finally, an excessive intake of beta-carotene may cause a harmless and reversible condition where the skin becomes yellow or orange. However, this is more often associated with beta-carotene supplements.