Watermelon: A Summer Food to Help Ease Inflammation

In my opinion, watermelon is one of the best foods of summer—and it may have some impressive anti-inflammatory benefits, too.

I started eating watermelon every day in late spring, while I was still recovering from knee surgery. Although I certainly can’t prove that watermelon played a role, I believe it may have helped calm some of the swelling and inflammation I was experiencing. At the very least, it definitely didn’t hurt—and I love watermelon!

And there’s actually some interesting science behind this summertime favorite.

Watermelon is rich in lycopene, the antioxidant that gives the fruit its beautiful red color. Lycopene has been studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Watermelon also provides vitamin C, another antioxidant that helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Then there’s L-citrulline, an amino acid found naturally in watermelon. The body converts citrulline into arginine, which helps produce nitric oxide and supports healthy blood flow. Research on citrulline supplementation has also found reductions in muscle soreness following exercise, although that doesn’t necessarily mean eating watermelon will have the same effect.

And don’t forget one of watermelon's most obvious benefits: hydration. Watermelon is more than 90% water, making it an especially refreshing way to add fluids to your diet during the hot summer months.

I always look for seeded watermelon first. This year, I’ve been lucky because my local grocery store regularly carries it. There’s just something about cutting open a big, old-fashioned seeded watermelon that I enjoy—and, yes, I happily deal with the seeds!

Was watermelon responsible for reducing the swelling in my knee? I’ll never know. My recovery, physical therapy, exercise and simply allowing my body time to heal obviously played much bigger roles. But watermelon became a delicious part of my recovery routine, and the science suggests there are plenty of good reasons to keep eating it.

So why not enjoy some watermelon this summer? Even if you aren’t recovering from surgery or dealing with inflammation, it’s hard to beat a cold, juicy slice of watermelon on a hot summer day.

Sometimes healthy eating really can be that simple—and that delicious.