Watermelon Top Notch And Amazing Benefits For Humans

Everyone knows that watermelon is more than 90% water. That is why it is considered a good diuretic. Also contains useful substances: vitamin C - 15% of the daily human intake. Vitamins A, B3, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and others.

Like any other red food, watermelon contains lycopene , the concentration of which is twice as high as in tomatoes. It is an antioxidant that helps with diseases of the cardiovascular system. Lycopene also helps with eye diseases and is useful for the prevention of cancer.

Citrulline is a substance found in watermelon rinds. It is necessary to remove toxins from the body. In addition, it promotes vasodilation and improves metabolic processes in cells.

Nutritionists say watermelon is a good detoxifier. It helps fight constipation and speeds up the metabolism.

Harm of watermelon - who is contraindicated

Despite the fact that the berry is almost entirely water, it is very high in sugar. The calorie content is low ( per 100 g - 30 kcal ), but the glycemic index (an indicator that reflects the effect of the product on the blood sugar level) is high - 70-80 units. In 100g watermelon may contain 1-2 tsp sugar . This point explains why watermelon is a diuretic :

After a large amount of sugar enters the bloodstream, the kidneys receive a “signal” to remove it. Not only the liquid that came with the watermelon is washed out, but also the rest. This can lead to dehydration. A high glycemic index makes you want to eat more and more watermelon, and unspent sugar causes extra pounds.

The watermelon diet is a poor weight loss option.

The norm for a healthy person is 200-300 grams of watermelon per day . People with diabetes should be careful with this product. As well as those who have kidney problems - if there are stones, then they can come into activity under the pressure of the exiting fluid. The same applies to those who suffer from gastrointestinal or intestinal diseases - if you really want to buy a watermelon, then eat it in the recommended quantities. Watermelons with nitrates are not bad, it's all about the dose. The norm is considered to be 60 mg of nitrates per 1 kg of watermelon . If you eat 1 piece of such a berry, then nothing will happen. But, having consumed half a watermelon, exceed the safe dose of mineral fertilizers and harm the body.

How to choose a watermelon and how to eat it correctly

It is best to take a medium-sized watermelon without chips or cracks. The crust should be firm and shiny. The spot on the berry determines where it touches the ground. Its color is yellow or brown, but not white. Antennae and peduncle are dry.

Knock on the watermelon - the sound should be resonant. Then squeeze the fruit - hear a crunch. Hit the watermelon - a good ripe berry vibrates.

Do not buy watermelons on the side of the road - most likely, such fruits have not passed sanitary control. In addition, they have absorbed heavy metals from passing cars. It is best to go for berries to shopping pavilions, where watermelons are sold on stalls under a canopy.

Before eating a watermelon, wash it thoroughly with soap and running water to remove fertilizer and bacteria residues from the soil. Store the cut watermelon only in the refrigerator and no more than four days. Uncut fruit can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks.

How long have we waited for summer! And now the unusually sultry June this year has already ended. The counters of markets and shops are rapidly turning green, filling with watermelons.

Watermelon is really an extremely tasty and healthy product that can give you great pleasure, especially in the heat. The main thing - when choosing a watermelon - to comply with certain conditions.

Benefit

It is well known that the pulp of watermelon contains up to 13% of easily digestible sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose). By the time this "false berry" is ripe, glucose and fructose predominate in it, but sucrose accumulates during the storage of the watermelon. The calorie content of the berry is low : 100 grams of the edible part of the fruit contains only 38 kilocalories, but there is a lot of sugar (high glycemic index), so this delicacy should not be overeating for patients with diabetes mellitus.

The pulp contains many vitamins : A, group B, C, E; trace elements (magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium); antioxidants (lycopene, niacin). The content of magnesium in watermelon and a variety of antioxidants provide its anti-stress properties, and the taste of watermelon itself, as a symbol of a carefree sunny summer, contributes to the production of hormones of joy in the body.

The high water content in watermelon has a "cleansing" effect on the kidneys, but for the same reason, the fruit is contraindicated in case of impaired renal function and heart failure.

Dietary fiber in watermelon helps to normalize bowel function . Its pulp is a good choleretic agent.

Drinking watermelon suppresses the urge to snack once more , reducing the feeling of hunger and, thereby, helps to lose weight, unless, of course, they eat a hearty meal.