Perhaps nothing else screams summertime quite as much as a juicy, ripe watermelon. It s sweet and refreshing and adds a huge burst of color to just about everything.

也许没有什么能比喝上一杯果汁，吃上一只熟西瓜更能嗨翻夏季了。它香甜可口，让人神清气爽，让你所看到的所有事物都鲜活亮丽起来了。

But there is so much more to watermelon than meets the eye. Watermelon is simply bursting with numerous health benefits, too.

但西瓜远远不止我们看到的这样，还有很多奥秘呢。西瓜能给我们的身体健康带来极大的好处。

July is National Watermelon Month and it s no surprise why. Besides being tasty and super hydrating, watermelon is super healthy. Check out our list of 13 healthy benefits, and interesting facts, you never knew about this summertime treat.

毫无疑问七月就是国家西瓜月。除了好吃和水分多，西瓜也是超级健康的。看看我们列出的13条健康小贴士，结合一些有趣事实，你会发现原来夏天还可以大补呢!

1. Immune support, wound healing, and helps prevent cell damage 免疫保障，伤口修复，还能防止细胞损伤

Watermelons are surprisingly high in vitamin C. Vitamin C is great at improving your immune system by protecting our cells from reactive oxygen. Reactive oxygen damages our cells and DNA. Vitamin C has long been known to help heal wounds in the body and is essential to making new connective tissue. Enzymes involved in forming collagen, the main compound needed when wounds are healing, simply cannot function without Vitamin C. If you should find you are suffering from slow healing wounds, seriously up your consumption of vitamin C heavy fruit such as watermelon!

西瓜富含维生素C。维生素C 能通过保护我们的细胞免受活性氧的侵害，从而极大地保护你的免疫系统。活性氧会损坏我们的细胞和DNA。长久以来，维生素C都被大家所知是可以帮助修复体内伤口，是促生结缔组织的必需微量元素。如果没有维生素C，酶也是无法参与生成胶原蛋白的过程，而胶原蛋白是伤口修复很重要的一种化合物。如果你发现你的伤口一直没有好起来，那就赶紧多吃些富含维生素C的水果，比如西瓜!

2. Watermelon has more lycopene than tomatoes 西瓜比番茄富含更多的番茄红素

Just one cup of watermelon has 1.5 times more lycopene than a large fresh tomato. Why should you care? Lycopene is a super antioxidant, which is important for stopping those free radicals that damage your cells, mess with your immune system, and lead to advanced aging. Research shows that lycopene, which is found in most red fruits and veggies, helps fight against several types of cancer. To get the most antioxidants possible, store your watermelon at room temperature.

一杯子西瓜汁所富含的番茄红素是一个新鲜大番茄的1.5倍。为什么你要在意这个呢?番茄红素是一种超级抗氧化剂，它可以阻止自由基侵害你的细胞，扰乱你的免疫系统，提前衰老。研究发现，存在于大多数红色水果及蔬菜中的番茄红素，能帮助我们抵御各种癌症。为了尽可能保证番茄红素的含量，请把西瓜置于室温中保存。

3. Relieves Sore Muscles 缓解肌肉酸痛

A study conducted in Spain discovered that drinking about 16 ounces of watermelon juice before working out had less muscle soreness, as well as a lower heart rate, within 24 hours.

在西班牙组织的一项研究表明，在锻炼前喝上大约16盎司的西瓜汁，可以在24小时内减轻肌肉酸痛，降低心率。

This is attributed to a compound in watermelon called citrulline that has been found to improve the functioning of arteries and lower blood pressure overall. In fact, watermelon can relax the blood vessels so much; Texas A&M University says that watermelon is like the Viagra of the fruit world! Unfortunately, most of that citrulline is found in the green rind, not so much in the red flesh.

这是由于西瓜里的一种叫瓜氨酸的物质，它被发现可以提升动脉功能，降低血压。事实上，西瓜可以很大程度地放松血管;德克萨斯A&M大学得出，西瓜就像是水果中的伟哥!但可惜的是，大多数瓜氨酸都在西瓜皮里，而不是在果肉里。

4. Supports eye health 保护眼睛健康

Watermelon is a fantastic source of beta-carotene, which your body will turn into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to make the pigments in the retina of your eyes and this helps to protect you against macular degeneration.

西瓜里有丰富的维生素B，并由你的机体转化为维生素A。维生素A能帮助你生成视网膜上的色点，防止患上黄斑变性。

5. Alkaline 西瓜是碱性的

When fully ripe, watermelons have an alkaline effect in the body. Eating plenty of alkaline forming fruits and veggies helps to reduce your risk of developing illness and chronic disease.

熟透的西瓜在体内呈碱性。吃大量的碱性水果和蔬菜可以减少你得一些小病及慢性疾病的几率。

6. It s both a fruit and a veggie 它既是水果也是蔬菜

Almost unbelievable, but true! Like almost all fruits, watermelon comes from seeds but its roots can be traced to pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers. Talk about an overachiever!

不相信么?不过这是真的!和几乎所有水果一样，西瓜是由种子而来的，但它的根源可以追溯到南瓜，南瓜属植物，以及黄瓜。说起来它好像是个成就感爆棚的水果!