Watermelons could boost sex drive

Watermelons could hold the key to a fruitier sex life.

As the mercury hits 50 degrees centigrade in some parts of the Gulf, it is a perfect time to reach for a slice of juicy, cooling watermelon.

And if scientists in Texas, USA, are correct, men will get more than just a face-full of pips from the fruit - it could boost their sex lives as well.

A naturally occurring chemical called citrulline is found in watermelons, which can trigger production of Arginine, a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels - the same effect triggered by Viagra.

The reaction is also beneficial to the circulatory system, the heart and the immune system.

"Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it," Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center told Associated Press.

Exploiting the benefits of watermelon will prove a little more challenging that popping the little blue Viagra pill. The majority of  citrulline is found in watermelon rind, not the flesh.

To get a similar effect to Viagra, a person would have to consume around six cups of watermelon, according to US dietary researchers.

Agriculturalists can manipulate the constitution of watermelons to cut sugar levels and boost citrulline, potentially magnifying the benefits of the fruit.

Japanese farmers have perfected a technique of growing square watermelons that, they claim, are more convenient for retailers and fit more easily into a fridge.

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