This Morning: Dr Chris discusses blood pressure and dementia
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An estimated 1.13 billion people worldwide are believed to have high blood pressure, which is a major cause of premature death worldwide. The condition is characterised by a pounding sensation in the head, lightheadedness and dizziness. However, one fruit may offer promising benefits for the management of blood pressure and reduction of bad cholesterol.
Watermelon contains only 46 calories per cup, and is high in vitamin C, A and other health plant compounds which have been shown to drastically improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels in individuals. But two of the fruit’s amino acids, L-citrulline and L-arginine, have the most powerful effects.
Blood pressure
The fruit’s amino acids can boost levels of nitric oxide, a substance known to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure, according to Harvard Health.
A study conducted by the Florida State University Professor Arturo Figueroa found that watermelon could significantly reduce blood pressure in overweight individuals, both at rest and while under stress.
Professor Figueroa’s 12-week study focussed on 13-middled aged, obese men who also suffered from high blood pressure.
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The professor’s quest departed from the concept that people are more likely to die of heart attacks in cold water, as the shock of cold temperature triggers a spike in blood pressure, forcing the heart to beat faster.
This makes obese people with high blood pressure more susceptible to cold weather conditions.
This concept informed the professor’s decision to split the study’s cohort into two groups.
The first group was administered four grams of L-citrulline and two grams of L-arginine per day over a period of six weeks, while the second was given a placebo. The groups then switched for another six weeks.
The participants’ blood pressure was thereafter measured while they were submerged in water as cold as 4 degrees celsius.
The findings showed that consuming watermelon had a positive impact on aortic blood pressure and other vascular parameters.
The professor also observed substantial improvements in the participants’ cardiac stress while at rest and during exposure to cold water.
He noted: “That means less overload to the heart, so the heart is going to work easily during a stressful situation such as cold exposure.”
High cholesterol
Further studies have found that watermelon could also help manage high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Watermelon seeds, in particular, contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which reduce LDL levels in the bloodstream.
LDL is a form of cholesterol that builds up in the arteries, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Scientists who carried out studies on mice fed a high-fat diet found watermelon halved the rate at which LDL accumulated in the arteries.
The researchers, from Purdue University, also found eating watermelon regularly helped to control weight gain, resulting in fewer fatty deposits inside the blood vessels.
The team believed the fruit’s L-citrulline amino acid was largely responsible for the management of LDL.
Furthermore, watermelon is high in soluble fibre, which cannot be broken down during digestion. This helps fill up the body, and deters individuals from eating other cholesterol-raising foods.
Although high cholesterol doesn’t normally produce any perceptible warning signs, its management is vital to optimal health, with high cholesterol levels hiking the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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