Studies

Super Foods: Watermelons Can Save Your Life

You have to eat them for it to work, though.
You have to eat them for it to work, though. Photo: Courtesy Gallagher

Despite burger prices skyrocketing as cookout season approaches, there’s still some good news to report from the backyard barbecue beat: Watermelon is a lifesaver! Or it can be, anyway. Pakistani news outlet Dawn.com reports that watermelon is loaded with natural chemicals and compounds that researchers at Florida State University have determined are beneficial for all sorts of reasons. (Lower blood pressure! Improved artery performance!)

The fruit contains compounds that were found to dilate blood vessels, which is both good for reducing blood pressure and mimics the effects of Viagra (!). Though it sounds like a win-win situation all around, the study doesn’t seem to have an answer to why comedian Gallagher, who spent the entirety of his career awash in watermelon gore, was sidelined by a heart attack earlier this year.

Florida State study finds watermelon lowers blood pressure [Florida State University via Dawn]

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Super Foods: Watermelons Can Save Your Life