A daily slice of watermelon could help prevent heart disease
by haling the build-up of harmful cholesterol, new research shows.
Scientists who carried out studies on mice fed a high fat
diet found the fruit halved the rate at which ‘bad’ low density lipoprotein or
LDL, accumulated. LDL is a form of cholesterol that leads to clogged arteries
and heart diseases.
The study was published in the Journal of Nutritional
Biochemistry.
Researchers from Purdue University in the United States,
also found eating watermelon regularly helpful to control weight gain and resulted
in fewer fatty deposits inside the blood vessels. They believe the secret to
watermelon health-boosting properties lies in Citrulline, a chemical found in
the juice. Previous studies have suggested Citrulline has a role to play in
heart disease prevention by lowering blood pressure.
Although,
the latest investigation showed no significant effects on blood pressure, it
did reveal watermelons had a powerful impact on other heart risk factors. Heart
disease is Britain biggest killer. Around 270,000 people a year suffer a heart
attack and nearly one in three die before they reach hospital.
