Eating large amounts of watermelon may provide some Viagra-like effects, according to a new study from the US Department of Agriculture. Researchers said that a compound found in the watery fruit called citrulline triggers production of the important amino acid arginine. The arginine in turn boosts nitric oxide in the body, naturally relaxing blood vessels in a way similar to Viagra.
Researchers said you would have to eat about 6 cups of watermelon to get enough citrulline to notice any benefit. They also noted that yellow-fleshed watermelons contain the highest amount of the substance. Among all plant foods, the highest concentrations of citrulline can be found in walnut seedlings.
The bottom line: If you’re looking for a natural Viagra-alternative, try eating some watermelon and/or walnut seedlings!
Related:
Scientists: Watermelon yields Viagra-like effects
Natural Alternatives to Viagra
Drinking a few cups of green tea every day may help prevent heart disease. New research from Greece showed that compounds in the popular Asian tea improve blood flow and increase the ability of arteries to relax. Researchers noticed that the beneficial effects of drinking green tea appeared pretty quickly, within 30 minutes.
Researchers also noted that green tea’s beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system seemed to be long-lasting and cumulative. According to one top scientist:
“It’s something that needs to be investigated, but we think that if someone takes green tea for one or two months, the beneficial effect will be even greater…”
As little as 6 grams of green tea taken per day — or 3 to 4 cups — was all it took for those in the study to experience the boost in heart health. If you’re worried about heart disease, you should seriously consider making green tea a regular part of your diet. Black tea has also been shown to have significant benefits for cardiovascular health, so you may want to drink that as well (especially in place of coffee, since it has higher caffeine content).
Related:
Green tea protects against heart disease
Does Green Tea Help the Heart?
Published May 23rd, 2008
in Diabetes and Health Studies.
Making a few healthy lifestyle changes — including exercising regularly, eating more vegetables, and drinking less alcohol — can delay diabetes for many years, according to new research from China and the US. Researchers found that diet and exercise reduced the incidence of diabetes by about 43% over 20 years.
According to a report from the study:
“This study has shown that … group-based interventions targeting lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise produce a durable and long-lasting reduction in incidence of type 2 diabetes.”
The bottom line: If you’re worried about developing type 2 diabetes, you should begin leading a healthier lifestyle immediately to greatly reduce your chances of developing the disease!
Related:
Diet and exercise can delay diabetes for years
Published May 20th, 2008
in Health Highlights.
Published May 20th, 2008
in Uncategorized.
Hey everyone… we’re back! After a short “hiatus” the Fresh Healthy Useful blog is back… with plans to be better than ever! Since the beginning, the focus of this site has been to provide regular updates regarding useful information about cutting-edge health news and research. That focus will remain.
But this year we also hope to begin providing more “in-depth” content. Things like:
- Useful guides to solving common health problems
- Expert interviews on popular health topics
- Reviews and helpful advice regarding health-related products & services
We’ll try to keep things interesting, exciting, and — above all — useful. Enjoy!
