Citrulline-Rich Foods: Boost Blood Flow & Recovery

The amino acid citrulline may have antioxidant properties, and it may help your body improve blood flow. But perhaps its most important property is how it helps the body create arginine, another amino acid that helps the body's cells divide, promotes the healing of wounds and aiding your body to remove ammonia. Citrulline comes from several sources but is especially high in a select few.

Watermelon Flesh

• Eating watermelon flesh or drinking concentrated watermelon juice provides high levels of citrulline, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA scientists found that volunteers in a study on the topic who drank the melon juice had higher blood levels of arginine, a byproduct of the body's processing of citrulline. The study led researchers to consider arginine as a treatment for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and the vascular complications of sickle-cell anemia.

Watermelon Rind

• Watermelon rind has citrulline "in high quantities," according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The research that led to that finding suggests that the usually-discarded rinds "may yield a useful product from an agricultural waste," according to a USDA research summary.

High-Protein Foods

• Foods that are high in proteins generally are high in citrullines, according to the Health Vitamins Guide. These include meats, fish, eggs, milk, edamame, and other legumes.