The Picnic Staple That’ll Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

It wouldn’t be Picnic Week without some watermelon, and guess what? This summer staple of barbecues and picnics around the world is not only delicious — it’s insanely good for you!

Besides being full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and lots of water (watermelon got its name for a reason!), a new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that eating watermelon could significantly reduce blood pressure in overweight individuals both at rest and while under stress.
You can read more about the full watermelon and blood pressure research here, but the gist is that in the study eating watermelon had a positive impact on aortic blood pressure and other vascular parameters. Study participants showed improvements in blood pressure and cardiac stress while both at rest and while they were exposed to cold water (being colder makes your heart have to work harder to keep you warm, therefore your body is stressed).
Besides just eating watermelon raw and down to the rind, also consider grilling watermelon, making watermelon aqua fresca or putting cubes of it in a salad with cucumber, feta and mint. No matter how you have your watermelon, eat it! Your blood pressure will thank you!
What’s your fave way to eat watermelon? —Jenn