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The benefits and harms of watermelon

Watermelon is an incrediby nutritious and multifunctional summer fruit with tremendous benefits for your health. Packed with antioxidants and other essential nutrients such as Vitamins A, C and B6 helps to boost immunity, regulate digestion, prevent dehydration, maintain heart health and it can even help protect your skin from sunburns! It's also high in water content and nearly calorie-free, meaning it's an excellent addition to any weight loss regimen. On the other hand, it can cause side-effects such as water retention, allergic reactions, and poor digestion when consumed in large amounts. All in all, watermelon is an amazingly healthy and nutritious fruit that provides immense health advantages, and should be consumed in moderation.

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A large green berry is not just a delicious refreshing dessert, but also a source of necessary substances that help maintain health and improve well-being. The benefits and harms of a watermelon depend on whether it is ripe or not, and how many people ate it. A ripe fruit is used as part of a therapeutic diet for diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys and digestive system. It is indispensable for weight loss..

What are the beneficial substances in a watermelon?

The pulp of gourds is rich in beta-carotene, lycopene. These are the strongest antioxidants that are not produced by the human body, but come only with food. At the time of ripening, the fruits have a high percentage of fructose and glucose. The composition of watermelon includes vitamins A, C, PP, E, group B and the most important amino acid – citrulline.

The pulp contains macronutrients: potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorus. Of minerals – only iron.

Energy and nutritional value

Composition and calorie content

Calorie content of 100 g of the product is small, only 27 kcal. There is almost no fat (0.1 g) in the pulp, and the seeds are 25% oil. 100 g of berries contain 5.8 g of carbohydrates, 0.4 g of fiber, 0.6 g of protein and 92.6 g of water.

What is useful watermelon for the human body

Useful properties for the body

Eating ripe fruits has a beneficial effect on health. The pulp has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and general strengthening effect, anthelmintic preparations are prepared from seeds. Medicinal decoctions, infusions, candied peel berries. The beneficial properties of watermelon for the human body make it a valuable product for enhancing immunity, prevention and treatment of diseases.

Body hydration

Eat right

A slice of watermelon quickly quenches thirst, especially in the heat. Eating pulp helps to avoid dehydration, get the necessary vitamins. Not only the benefits, but also the harm of watermelon can be felt during pregnancy. If in the first trimester the use of the product alleviates the symptoms of toxicosis, then in recent months they should not be abused. This can increase the burden on the kidneys, which already work to the limit..

Reduces Asthma Risk

How does asthma occur?

For the prevention of bronchial disease, nutrients are needed. One of them is considered vitamin C, which is rich in watermelon. The systematic use of fruits strengthens the immune system, relieves inflammation and reduces the risk of allergic reactions that often cause bronchial disease, including asthma.

Normalizes pressure

Beneficial features

The product contains iron, potassium and magnesium, which have a good effect on the functioning of the heart and circulatory system. Lycopene reduces oxidative stress, slows the development of atherosclerosis, ischemic diseases. The use of watermelon improves blood circulation, helps patients with stage 1 hypertension.

Citrulline increases the level of nitric oxide in the body, which helps to expand blood vessels, lower blood pressure.

Prevents certain types of cancer.

The benefit of watermelon is that it occupies the third place among plant products in the amount of lycopene. Thanks to this antioxidant substance, the flesh of the berry is red. According to the results of several studies that were conducted at Harvard in the 90s of the XX century, the use of fruits with lycopene reduces the risk of cancer of the prostate, stomach, lungs.

Improves the digestive tract

The benefits of watermelon

Nutritionists recommend eating the pulp of the fetus in diseases of the liver, gall bladder, because it has a choleretic effect. Due to the presence of a large amount of water, fiber, the product regulates digestion, prevents the formation of constipation and removes harmful cholesterol from the body..

Watermelon is rich in alkaline compounds that help restore the body’s acid-base balance during acidification.

It has anti-inflammatory properties

Choline (vitamin B4) is present in the composition of watermelon. The substance normalizes fat metabolism, therefore, removes the increased load on the liver in inflammatory diseases of the body. Choline helps maintain the structure of human cell membranes, which are disturbed by oxidative processes. Plant-based antioxidants vitamin C, lycopene reduce inflammation – a common cause of chronic diseases.

Reduces muscle pain

Substances in the berry

Watermelon juice increases stamina, human ability to work. Citrulline increases protein synthesis, helps the breakdown of other amino acids, which causes muscle growth. Carbohydrates, magnesium are necessary to restore the body, so it’s good to drink fetal juice after training.

Watermelon pulp is better to eat before exercise. High potassium levels will improve heart function during exercise, and citrulline will relieve muscle pain..

Supports healthy skin and hair

The basis of tissues is collagen. This complex protein forms the elastic structure of the skin, is present in the hair. It is good for their health to eat watermelon, since vitamin C in its composition helps to produce collagen, and vitamin A accelerates cell recovery. Lycopene, beta-carotene protect the skin, hair from the negative effects of sunlight.

The benefits of watermelon for weight loss

How to choose a watermelon

The berry has a lot of water, fiber, so the use of its pulp quickly causes a feeling of satiety and creates favorable conditions for cleansing the body of toxins. Dietary fiber is almost not absorbed in the digestive tract, but works as a mild laxative. Berry juice accelerates bowel cleansing. Lack of fats, a low percentage of sugars lead to weight loss.

Monodiet on a watermelon helps to get rid of obesity (up to 1 kg of pulp can be eaten per 10 kg of weight per day).

A minimum of calories and a lot of nutrients is an additional plus from such a diet. To lose weight without harming the body, be sure to consider contraindications to the use of watermelon.

Harm and possible risks

  1. The fetus can accumulate nitrates, poisoning is not uncommon. Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness. In order not to harm your health, buy a watermelon in season (not earlier than mid-August) and choose a ripe fruit weighing no more than 7 kg.
  2. With an exacerbation of a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, watermelon cannot be eaten. The product is rich in ascorbic acid, which will irritate the inflamed mucosa..
  3. In some cases, a large amount of water in a watermelon is not good, but harm. Eating lots of flesh at a time can cause kidney colic..
  4. A long-ripped fruit accumulates sucrose. This can be harmful to people with diabetes. Possible increase in blood sugar.
  5. The berry has a diuretic and choleretic effect.. With swelling or cholestasis, this is a benefit. If there are stones in the kidneys or gall bladder, unlimited consumption of pulp can cause pain due to their movement.
  6. Hyperkalemia (high potassium in the blood, which causes heart rhythm disturbance) is allowed to eat no more than 150 g of pulp daily.

What diseases can not eat watermelon

Contraindications

Use the product is prohibited for allergies to it, diseases of the spleen. Due to the presence of fiber, the pulp of the fetus can not be eaten by people suffering from increased gas formation, intestinal upset. Contraindications to the use of watermelon – this is renal failure, colitis, impaired urine outflow.

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Comments: 1
  1. Hazel Campbell

    Can you please provide further information on the potential benefits and harms of consuming watermelon? I am curious to know more about how it can positively impact health, but also if there are any precautions or potential negative effects associated with its consumption. Thank you!

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