Health Information

Everyone loves the taste of sweet, ripe watermelon, but did you know that watermelon is good for you?

Nutritionists have long appreciated watermelon’s health benefits. In fact, the American Heart Association recently recognized watermelon's nutritional properties by giving it the "heart healthy" seal of approval. Now research has shed new light on its potential health benefits.

Watermelon contains lycopene that may help reduce the risks of prostate cancer. A study conducted by Harvard University researchers found that men who ate lycopene-rich diets of tomatoes and tomato products had a much lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

For more information on Lycopene, click here.

Or to see the vitamins and minerals in watermelon, click here.

The Lycopene Leader

Lycopene is a red pigment found in plants and is part of a large class of plant compounds called carotenoids. Carotenoids are fat soluble and create yellow, orange, or red colors in plants. Carotenoids are not made by humans. Lycopene is not found in high amounts in many plants. The greatest sources of lycopene in fresh fruits and vegetables are watermelon, tomato, red grapefruit, and guava.

Interestingly though, just because a plant or vegetable has a red pigment does not necessarily mean that it contains lycopene. For example, the red color found in strawberries, cherries, etc. is a water soluble pigment called anthocyanin, and is formed by a very different pathway from the carotenoids.

The primary role of carotenoids in plants is to neutralize compounds created during photosynthesis. These compounds are often hydrogen peroxide or singlet oxygen, both of which will attack and destroy cell membranes, ultimately damaging the cell. Singlet oxygen is oxygen with a higher energy charge because outer orbital electrons are spinning in opposite directions.

Humans breathe in oxygen as O2. The biological processes in the body use oxygen for reactions, frequently creating singlet oxygen as a byproduct. The singlet oxygen is very reactive (high electric charge) and therefore must be eliminated by the body before cell damage occurs. The body uses antioxidants, compounds that look for singlet oxygen and neutralizes it. Of the carotenoids, lycopene is the most effective oxygen scavenger because it can neutralize several singlet oxygen with one lycopene molecule. Other antioxidants are Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Vitamin E.

Practically a Multivitamin

Watermelon is Practically a Multivitamin Unto Itself

A 2-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6 and C.

Vitamin A found in watermelon is important for optimal eye health, can help prevent night blindness, and boosts immunity by enhancing the infection-fighting actions of white blood cells called lymphocytes.

Vitamin B6 found in watermelon is used by the body to manufacture brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), such as serotonin, melatonin and dopamine, which preliminary research shows may help the body cope with anxiety and panic.

Vitamin C in watermelon can help to bolster the immune system's defenses against infections and viruses and can protect a body from harmful free radicals that can accelerate aging and conditions such as cataracts.

Potassium

A two-cup serving of watermelon is also a source of potassium*, a mineral necessary for water balance and found inside of every cell. People with low potassium levels can experience muscle cramps.
* A two-cup serving has less than 10 percent of the daily reference value for potassium.

About Lycopene

The Power of Lycopene
Mark Tallon, PhD

January 2006

Prostate support, cardio protection, repair from UV radiation — lycopene can do it all.

Mark J Tallon, PhD, uncovers the growing body of science behind this multi-faceted ingredient

The lovable tomato has caused quite a stir scientifically speaking over the past few years. Recent market projections by the Business Communication Co (BCC)1 suggest the carotenoid market will breach the $1 billion mark by 2009 and lycopene sales will surpass $26 million, according to Frost & Sullivan.2

Although at present the food colourant market is the leading carotenoid outlet, the fastest-growing segment for carotenoid sales is poised to boom from dietary supplements and fortified foods. These rapid upturns in possible market revenue have not gone unnoticed.

Such is the case for European behemoths DSM (Roche) and BASF, who at present control three-fourths of the global carotenoid market. Word on the street, as reported by BCC, suggests these market statistics are unlikely to change for at least the next five years.

So how have these statistics been impacted by the scientific turnover of lycopene research over the past 10 years? Where is the research heading? And what are the immediate and long-term challenges facing both the carotenoid and lycopene market?

A DECADE OF GROWTH

Over the past 10 years, we have seen some remarkable growth in the academic interest in tomatoes, carotanoids, and, ultimately, lycopene. The yearly lycopene publication number over the past 10 years has increased by more than 400 per cent (tomatoes and carotenoids by 80 and 170 per cent, respectively).

This vast increase in research is reflective of the global growth of carotenoids sales for the enhancement of health. From the early beginnings of Dr Giovannuchi’s epidemiological-based insights, the antioxidant activities of carotenoid intake3 has now been confirmed by clinically validated, double-blinded and randomized interventions.

But where is this latter research taking the supply and manufacturing chain? And what opportunities are emerging for hooking new public interest in tomato-based extracts for enhancing health and slowing deleterious disease states?

PROSTATE HEALTH

I would be remiss without giving an overview of a defining disease state regarding lycopene’s action: prostate health. Prostate cancer is a worldwide health problem, with an estimated 230,000 new cases occurring in the US in 2004 and 30,000 deaths.4 This places prostate cancer as the second-leading cause of cancer death in US men.4

The prostate health crisis led to a search for a prevention strategy that was effective from a clinical and fiscal basis. Soon, epidemiological evidence of the protective role of tomatoes in the US diet provided a possible answer 3,5 as men who consumed the most tomato products had significantly lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Following these initial observations, many studies have investigated the effects of tomato product extracts, including lycopene, on diseases of the prostate.6,7

One of the most interesting studies over the last year is that by Ulrich Siler’s group at Charité University Hospital, Humboldt-University Berlin.8 Although lycopene research has been primarily epidemiological and/or looking into disease states, this current study answers the fundamentals about disease prevention as well as its actions on health issues.

Copenhagen male rats were supplemented with 200ug lycopene/g diet and every two weeks starting at day 0 until week 8, groups of 6-8 rats were killed and their prostates analysed for lycopene accumulation and distribution, changes in gene expression, and prostate lobe weight.

In comparison to placebo following the same dietary intake, less lycopene showed increased lycopene in primarily the alltrans isoform with the highest distribution/uptake observed in the lateral lobe of the prostate. Further analysis went on to show that factors involved in prostate cancer prevention were significantly affected including a reduction in androgenic enzymes, IGF-1, and a selection of inflammatory cytokines. These very insightful results suggest lycopene may offer a long-term strategy in reducing the risk of prostate cancers.

Of greater interest is the effectiveness of lycopene as a treatment strategy, which may depend on where prostate cancers occur (ie, which lobe) due to the localized accumulation of lycopene in the prostate. Re-analysis of epidemiological studies should be able to shed light on this and may be an interesting factor in treatment outcomes.

CARDIO PROTECTION

Antioxidants have been shown time and again to slow the progression of atherosclerosis because of their ability to neutralize damaging oxidative processes.9,10 The oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, which transport cholesterol into the blood stream, is thought to play an integral role in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases including heart attack and ischemic strokes.11,12

The logical therapeutic step was to look for antioxidants, which were powerful oxidant quenchers. One of the answers came in the form of the most potent singlet oxygen quencher among carotenoids: lycopene.13

Following on from studies suggesting lycopene may affect risk factors of coronary heart disease, new research sought to systematically examine the effects of lycopene in the prevention of platelet aggregation and thrombus formation.14

The results may imply that tomato-based foods such as lycopene are especially beneficial in the prevention of platelet aggregation and thrombosis.14 Extensive human trials are still required to confirm these results.

SKIN: UV RADIATION

The US cosmeceuticals industry is projected to grow to $4.7 billion by 202015 and as such, functional foods competitors have been scrambling to carve out their share of the personal health industry over the past decade. One of the most lucrative and under-exploited niches in this category is dermal health.

Dr Karin Wertz, laboratory head at DSM Nutritionals, also believes this is a very important growth area. "In addition to prostate cancer prevention, lycopene has interesting benefits for skin health, such as inhibition of sunburn and delay of light-induced skin ageing," he says.

Exposure to UV light brings about a series of photo-oxidative reactions that can negatively impact dermal health.16 The biochemical reactions brought about via photo-oxidation damage the integrity of skin cells leading to premature ageing and in some cases melanomas. One initial skin damage sign visible upon excessive exposure to UV light is erythema (redness or inflammation of the skin or mucous membranes) of which the impact of carotenoids and lycopene have been assessed as a method of decreasing photo-damage.17,18

Investigators assessed the photoprotective properties of synthetic lycopene in comparison with a tomato extract (Lyc-o-Mato) and a drink containing solubilized tomato extracts (Lyc-o-Guard-Drink).18 These three different sources amounted to about 10mg/day of lycopene. Following 12 weeks of supplementation, significant increases in serum lycopene levels and total skin carotenoids were observed in all groups.

At weeks 0, 4 and 12, erythema was induced with a solar light simulator. A decrease in erythema formation was observed in all groups from weeks 0-12. Compared to week 0, the reduction in erythema was significantly lower (25 per cent) in the synthetic lycopene group. However, the protective effect was more pronounced in the Lyc-o-Mato (38 per cent) and Lyc-o-Guard-Drink (48 per cent) groups.

In the two latter groups, phytofluene and phytoene may have contributed to protection.18 Both phytofluene and phytoene exhibit absorption maxima at wavelengths of UV light giving additional protection. Absorption of UV light protects skin from photo-damage and might explain the differences observed between groups.18

Based on these results, a combination of tomato extracts including lycopene may be the most effective way to protect the skin from UV damage. However, topical applications may give different results and are worth further investigation.

EU PAVES THE WAY

Frost & Sullivan forecasts the European carotenoid market will rise to $419.6 million in 20102 driven by health and ageing issues. But with all the science available on carotenoids and lycopene, public awareness seems to be lagging.

In fact, health claims might even confuse consumers and actively turn them away from purchases, according to the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), which last year conducted extensive research into how consumers understand claims.19 The agency concluded that consumers respond to them in a nonscientific way.

An example of claims typically misinterpreted are those that refer to cholesterol-lowering effects. These claims were viewed as being for sick people and not the average consumer — and in the worst cases, many consumers didn’t even notice them on the packaging. The FSA concluded that issues of brand familiarity, taste, overall product appeal and ‘naturalness’ of ingredients were much more important to decision-making.

One point to consider in the future exploitation of the growing carotenoid market is to take a lesson from functional foods brands that are highly successful, yet carry no health claims at all. Yakult, for example, a $2.3 billion brand, talks only about ‘wellness from the inside.’ We already have some focus of noningredient health claims in lycopene marketing such as Redivivo by DSM.

"Imagine a beverage with a red tomato color and providing a health benefit (a healthy red)," explains Dr Wiltrud Baier, global marketing manager at DSM Nutritional Products. "Redivivo, DSM’s lycopene-based products, is optimal for these applications, as it has excellent stability and performance, as well as the highest quality standards."

DSM may try to use the image and color of the healthy tomato as an integral branding tool rather than relying only on science-based claims.

WHAT’S AHEAD

The science behind lycopene has grown radically over the past decade with no immediate slowdown in academic interest. The fields of research have far surpassed its prostate-based roots, leading to new marketing for a host of health and disease conditions including macular degeneration, infertility, high blood pressure (preeclampsia), asthma, drug-induced carotenoid depletion and ameliorating the decline in oxidative stress during intense fatiguing exercise.

Some of the most relevant issues to food technologists and research scientists are primarily issues of bioavailability and of which cis isomers of lycopene are the most effective in providing a positive impact in specific disease cases.

Following the establishment of lycopene as a positive nutrient in food, scientists are now assessing and searching for new sources of lycopene (ie, red carrots, passionflower fruit, red palm oil) and their influence on human health.

Together, peer-reviewed research and increasing public education of tomato-based extracts will surely provide a sustainable and lucrative niche in the carotenoid industry to 2010 and well beyond.

Mark J Tallon, PhD, is chief science officer of OxygeniX, a London-based consultancy firm specialising in claims substantiation, product development and technical writing.www.oxygenix.com Dr Tallon is also co-founder of Cr-Technologies, a raw-ingredients supplier. www.cr-technologies.net

Fun Facts

Throughout the years, watermelon has found itself in many pickles, jams, and other interesting situations. How many of these facts did you know?

• The word "watermelon" first appeared in the English dictionary in 1615.
   
• Watermelon's official name is Citrullus lanatus of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae, and it is a fruit! It is related to tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, etc.
   
• Believed to originate from the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, the first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
   
• Watermelon is grown in over 96 countries, and there are now 1,200 varieties worldwide. While most Americans associate watermelon with the 4 th of July, picnics and apple pie, it is actually consumed much more heavily in other countries. A truly international fruit, 30 times more watermelon is consumed in China than in the United States, for example.
   
• A watermelon was once thrown at Greek orator Demosthenes during a political debate. Placing the watermelon upon his head, he thanked the thrower for providing him with a helmet to wear as he fought Philip of Macedonia.
   
• Watermelon is 92% water, and early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
   
• Food Historian John Martin Taylor says that early Greek settlers brought the method of pickling watermelon with them to Charleston, South Carolina.
   
• Every part of a watermelon is edible, even the seeds and rinds. In Asia, the seeds are roasted. Rinds are pickled in Russia and the West. (The first cookbook published in the United States in 1796 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles).
   
• In 1990, Bill Carson, of Arrington, Tennessee, grew the largest watermelon at 262 pounds; it remains on the record books, according to the 1998 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
   
• In China and Japan, watermelon is a popular gift to bring a host.
   
• In most Mediterranean countries, the sweet taste of watermelon is sometimes paired with feta.
   
• Watermelon is the most popular flavor of Jolly Rancher's Candies
   
• By weight, watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
   
• In 2005, over 4.5 billion lbs of watermelon were consumed in the US.
   
• Watermelon is an ideal health food because it is virtually fat free (less than 1% RDI is in an 8 oz. serving, resulting from seeds during pressing) or cholesterol, is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and contains fiber and potassium.
   
• Contrary to popular belief, eating watermelon seeds will not cause a watermelon to grow in your stomach.

How to Pick a Watermelon

Picking a great watermelon is as easy as One, Two, Three...

1. To determine whether the watermelon is ripe, thump the melon with two fingers. If it sounds hollow, then the melon is most likely ripe
2. Look the watermelon over, choose a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free of bruises, cuts and dents.
3. Lift it up - the watermelon should be heavy for its size. Watermelon is 92% water, which accounts for most of its weight.
4. Turn it over - on the underside of the watermelon there should be a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

Handling & Storage

Store Watermelon on the Warm Side
Compared to most fruits, watermelons need a more "tropical" climate - a thermometer reading of 55° F is ideal. However, whole melons will keep for 7 to 10 days at room temperature. Store them too long, and they'll lose flavor and texture.

Lower Temperatures Cause Chill Injury
After two days at 32° F, watermelons develop an off-flavor, become pitted and lose color.
Freezing causes rind to break down and produces a mealy, mushy texture.
Once a melon is cut, it should be wrapped and stored at 37° - 39° F.

Removing Seeds is a Breeze
Wash and quarter a whole melon, then cut each quarter into three or four wedges.
Cut lengthwise along the seed line with a paring knife, and lift off piece.
Using a fork, scrape seeds both from the removed piece and the remaining flesh on the rind. Use for cubes or continue with recipe.