Red fleshed watermelons are a rich source of the
phytochemical lycopene.This red carotenoid pigment may act as an antioxidant
by quenching free radicals formed during normal
metabolism and may deactivate DNA chain-breaking
agents that are implicated in some cancers. In numerous epidemiological studies,
there are strong positive correlation between diets rich
in lycopene-containing foods and protection against
some cancers. In a recent human clinical trial, lycopene from
tomato sauce significantly reduced prostate cancer
biomarkers in men with confirmed prostate cancer.