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AYURVEDIC FOODS

Watermelon Benefits (According to Ayurveda)

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

3. Similar foods and herbs

4. Impact: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Watermelon: Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie

Watermelon invites children and adults alike to step out of the heat and enjoy a refreshingly cool treat on a summer day of fun. No matter how hot the sun and elusive a shade tree, this delightful, pink fruit offers a joyful reprieve. It fundamentally cools the body and restores balance to overheated blood. From slicing the watermelon, to spitting the pits, watermelon is an essential ingredient to your summer celebrations.

Watermelon and Pitta

High in beta-carotene, watermelon substantially balances the blood and reduces Pitta justifying its prominence as a summertime fruit. As beta-carotene in carrots "brightens the eye", 1.5 servings of watermelon daily has been shown to reduce age related macular degeneration (ARMD) by 36%. A biteful or two will convince you of watermelon's eye-relaxing abilities. Watermelon contains copious amounts of the anti-oxidants lycopene and vitamin C.

Watermelon, Water Retention & the Kidneys

Watermelon is 92% water and 6% sugar. Although the large fruit might be a tempting way to relieve dehydration, watermelon's juiciness only quenches thirst temporarily. Those who suffer from water retention will be happy to hear that, ultimately, watermelon dries the body because of high levels of potassium, a diuretic. The cooling, anti-inflammatory effects of beta-carotene, combined with diuresis help watermelon flush inflammation from the urinary tract. Its low calorie count, drying quality and ability to reduce insulin resistance are ideal for Kapha dosha.

Watermelon & Libido

One more reason to enjoy watermelon this summer season: Citrulline, an amino acid in the rind and flesh of watermelon flesh, has similar properties to Viagra. They both stimulate nitric oxide which relaxes and expands blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and enhancing blood flow (and thus erectile performance). In fact, watermelon seeds are a symbol of fertility in Chinese weddings.

Watermelon & Food Combining

To receive the health benefits of watermelon, it is important to know how to eat it. Melons digest very quickly and should never be combined with other foods, even other fruits. Heavier, more difficult to digest foods prevent watermelon from traveling its normal supersonic speeds through the digestive tract. While bogged down in the resulting traffic jam, bacteria then attack the watermelon and ferment it, releasing gas. So eating watermelon at the end of a summer cook-out is a bad idea. Try eating it while the veggies are still on the grill, as a snack between meals, or drink a watermelon smoothie in the morning or afternoon.

Recipes with Watermelon: Watermelon, Lime and Cardamom Smoothie

About Watermelon

Watermelon is a special kind of fruit known as a pepo. It has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp or endocarp). The sweet fleshy center is usually pink, orange, or yellow. Originally from South Africa, watermelon is a member of the gourd or Cucurbitaceae family along with cucumber, cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin. Although most wild gourds are inedible because they contain a bitter purgative and some are even poisonous, members of the gourd family are used as food across the world, from the bitter gourd of India praised for its medical value, to our beloved pumpkins.

Vampire pumpkins and watermelons are a folk legend from the Balkans. However, unlike the many toothed Jack O' Lantern common on Hallows Eve, people are not afraid of vampire watermelons because they lack teeth. If you have left your watermelons outside under the full moon, check carefully to ensure your watermelon has not undergone vampire transformation. The telltale sign is the appearance of a drop of blood on the skin.

Watermelon cultivation was recorded in the Nile valley from 2000BC. Watermelon seeds were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. China is currently the world's largest producer of watermelon.

Buying & Preparation

If the watermelon is cut, select one by looking at the color and quality of the flesh. It should be a deep color without white streaks. If it has seeds, they should be dark in color. If the watermelon is not cut, look for a watermelon that is heavy for it's size and sounds hollow when tapped on the side. Check for existence of the white underbelly, where the watermelon sat on the ground. If the white underbelly is missing, it is a sign that the watermelon was harvested before fully ripening.

Wash the watermelon before cutting it. If too large, wipe with paper towel. Once cut, the watermelon should be refrigerated. Cover in plastic wrap to avoid dehydration and absorption of odors from other food.

Cooking Watermelon

The flesh is featured in fruit salads, paired with spices like cayenne, and served at summer barbecues, such as on the fourth of July, where the juice is more than likely to end up on the cheeks of happy children. Although most people are accustomed to eating the sweet red fleshy parts only, the seeds and white part of the rind are also edible. The seeds are roasted, seasoned and eaten as a snack food, ground up into cereal, or used to make bread in Asian countries.

Ground up melon seeds are used in the traditional version of 'horchata de melon', a drink of melon juice and seeds. The melon seeds are blended with the flesh, left to sit for a half hour, then strained and served. The melon seeds thicken the drink slightly, as well as contributing oils and proteins.

Most organisms store toxins in the skin. If you plan to eat the rind, buy organic watermelons. The rind of watermelon is featured in Southern American cooking, where it is marinated, pickled, or candied. It is stir fried and stewed in China.

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Is Watermelon Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Watermelon' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

SERVING SIZE: 1 c

SPECIES: Citrullus lanatus

FAMILY: Cucurbitaceae

MEAL: BREAKFAST, SNACK-DESSERT

EAT IN: SUMMER

Metabolic Nature of Watermelon

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR COLD ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD DRY ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY EASY ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY LIQUEFIED ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED LIGHT ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Lightness is identified by reduced weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	Tissue (dhatu): Red Blood RED-BLOOD Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels. SEE ALL 'RED-BLOOD' FOODS / HERBS Affinity: Kidney Bladder Urinary Family: Cucurbitaceae
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Watermelon Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Energy Vitality: Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS Heart & Circulation: Refrigerant STRONG REFRIGERANT An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions. SEE ALL 'REFRIGERANT' FOODS / HERBS , Alterative ALTERATIVE Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter. SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Antioxidant ANTIOXIDANT An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals that lead to a chain reaction causing damage or death to cells. Antioxidants terminate these oxidation reactions. SEE ALL 'ANTIOXIDANT' FOODS / HERBS , Blood Tonic BLOOD-TONIC An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Kidney & Urinary: Diuretic STRONG DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS Liver & Gallbladder: Livotonic LIVOTONIC An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene. SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS Weight Loss: Lowers Blood Sugar LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR An herb that lowers blood sugar. SEE ALL 'LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR' FOODS / HERBS Reproductive Health: Aphrodisiac APHRODISIAC Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health. SEE ALL 'APHRODISIAC' FOODS / HERBS Constituents: Nitric Oxide STRONG NITRIC-OXIDE Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health. SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS , Vitamin C

Foods with a Similar Nature to Watermelon

Cranberry

Cranberry has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Antioxidant, Livotonic

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Blueberry

Blueberry has these Actions in Common

Antioxidant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Alterative, Livotonic, Refrigerant

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Grape

Grape has these Actions in Common

Aphrodisiac, Livotonic, Alterative, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Antioxidant, Diuretic

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Dates (dried)

Dates (dried) has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diuretic, Aphrodisiac, Livotonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

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Pomegranate

Pomegranate has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Refrigerant, Alterative, Livotonic, Antioxidant, Nutritive

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Carrot

Carrot has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diuretic, Antioxidant, Livotonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

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Currants (dried)

Currants (dried) has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Alterative, Livotonic, Antioxidant, Nutritive

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Cantaloupe / Melons

Cantaloupe / Melons has these Actions in Common

Livotonic, Alterative, Nutritive, Antioxidant, Refrigerant

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Raspberry

Raspberry has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Livotonic, Antioxidant, Lowers-blood-sugar

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Prunes (dried)

Prunes (dried) has these Actions in Common

Antioxidant, Nutritive, Blood-tonic, Alterative, Diuretic

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Watermelon

Amalaki

Amalaki has these Actions in Common

Aphrodisiac, Blood-tonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Nutritive, Refrigerant, Alterative, Antioxidant

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Vidari

Vidari has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Aphrodisiac, Diuretic, Livotonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Nutritive

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Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Antioxidant, Aphrodisiac, Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Nutritive

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Dandelion Root

Dandelion Root has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diuretic, Livotonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Refrigerant

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Punarnava

Punarnava has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative, Antioxidant

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Pitta Massage Oil

Pitta Massage Oil has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Refrigerant

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Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Blood-tonic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Refrigerant

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Cornsilk

Cornsilk has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Diuretic, Nutritive, Refrigerant

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Ashokarishta - Menstrual Tonic

Ashokarishta - Menstrual Tonic has these Actions in Common

Refrigerant, Alterative, Blood-tonic, Diuretic

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Shilajit Tonic

Shilajit Tonic has these Actions in Common

Aphrodisiac, Diuretic, Lowers-blood-sugar, Alterative

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Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle has these Actions in Common

Alterative, Antioxidant, Diuretic, Livotonic

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Impact of Watermelon

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.