Is Watermelon Nature's Viagra? Science Says... Kind Of.

Watermelon has earned itself a pretty interesting nickname over the years: "Nature's Viagra."

The reason? The juicy summer favourite contains an amino acid called citrulline. Once it's in your body, citrulline is converted into another amino acid called arginine, which helps boost the production of nitric oxide.

That may sound like something from a high school science class, but nitric oxide plays an important role in relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow throughout the body, including to certain areas that people may be particularly interested in.

Before you start filling your shopping cart with watermelons, experts say the comparison to Viagra is a bit of a stretch. While watermelon may support healthy circulation, it's nowhere near as powerful or targeted as prescription medications.

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In fact, you'd have to eat a truly ridiculous amount of watermelon to experience anything close to a Viagra-like effect. And here's the catch: the highest concentration of citrulline is actually found in the rind, not the sweet pink part most of us eat.

Still, watermelon is packed with benefits. It's hydrating, low in calories, and supports cardiovascular health, all of which can contribute to a healthy lifestyle and, yes, a healthy love life.

Some health experts even recommend blending the rind into smoothies to get the most nutritional bang for your buck.

So while watermelon won't replace a trip to the pharmacy anytime soon, it's still a pretty solid choice for your summer snack lineup.