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A gracious season in August and September, when there are watermelons without the risk of nitrate poisoning, both small and large gourmands are eagerly waiting. When a huge heavy fruit with a crunch falls into two halves and fresh honey aroma spreads around, it is impossible to resist.
And why keep? Indeed, under the green peel hides not only the sugary sweet pulp, but also a mass of vitamins, such as ascorbic acid, thiamine and carotene, folic acid, niacin and riboflavin. In addition, the fruit is a storehouse of microelements, dietary fiber, sugars and moisture, watermelon is a diuretic used in healing diets for body cleansing and for weight loss. At the same time, the culture has practically no strict contraindications.
Why limit yourself when eating a delicious dessert? Slice for a slice of watermelon weighing several kilograms is sometimes eaten at a time, and even after a dense family meal. And few people think that overeating in this case can harm health. What threatens mindless infatuation with melon crops? How to eat watermelon: before or after a meal? And what combinations of watermelon with other products will greatly benefit the body?
Whose is watermelon overeating?
The size of a portion of watermelon, safe for humans, depends on the age and individual predispositions.
An adult with good health can eat from 200 to 1500 grams of pulp per day, but it is better to stick to the measure and not to eat more than 250–300 grams at a time.
But in the presence of certain diseases, consumption control is especially important. This list includes:
- problems of the genitourinary tract, including urolithiasis;
- chronic pancreatitis;
- gastritis and cholecystitis;
- dysbacteriosis and tendency to diarrhea;
- patients with diabetes.
Caution when eating watermelon is important for pregnant and lactating women, as well as those who are prone to allergic reactions.
So what will happen if you eat a lot of watermelon? Obviously, all nutrients, fiber and moisture will enter the body. But how will health affect eating large quantities of juicy pulp at once?
Danger of overeating watermelon
The main component of watermelon pulp is water, which makes up from 85 to 92% of the weight of the fruit. When several kilograms of such a product are immediately ingested, a person begins to experience a feeling of fullness, caused not by the nutritional value of the food, but by its volume. After all, the caloric content of watermelon is only 38 kcal per 100 grams, and even a serious portion can not replenish energy reserves.
But the pulp rich in moisture stretches the walls of the stomach, the pressure spreads to neighboring organs, causing discomfort. Most of all, expectant mothers suffer from the immoderate eating of watermelon. In the second half of pregnancy, when a growing fetus puts pressure on the internal organs, even a couple of extra slices of watermelon cause frequent urination, nausea, and digestive disorders.
If watermelon as a diuretic can be successfully used for losing weight, for a pregnant woman this property of the fruit eaten without a measure only brings suffering.
And for people with reduced renal capacity due to illness or an individual condition, an excessive amount of watermelon eaten faces serious problems. Overloaded by a natural diuretic such as watermelon, the means of the organs can, without coping with the work, provoke swelling or simply refuse.
Large portions of any food have a serious negative effect on the kidneys, liver, heart, and digestive system. The unpleasant symptoms after a hearty watermelon snack include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, weakness. That is, instead of a surge of strength and vitality, such a tasty and desirable watermelon causes a completely opposite effect.
For this reason, a large berry cannot be used as a basis for a long-term diet, because the nutrients contained in watermelon pulp do not overlap the needs of the body. Yes, and as a diuretic, watermelon does not relieve fat, but from excess moisture in the body. In addition, it is important to remember that dietary fiber in the composition of watermelon activates the course of digestive processes. Both intestinal peristalsis and gas formation are intensified, therefore painful sensations, bloating are not excluded, there is observed speeded up liquid stool threatening with dehydration.
Especially often these circumstances worry if a person who has eaten a watermelon has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, or if the watermelon has hit the stomach in the wrong combination.
How and with what do watermelon eat?
Certainly, vegetables and fruits are a source of vitamins, mineral salts, energy and other substances that are extremely important for the structure and development of the body. Watermelon is no exception. But for maximum benefit, it is not enough to regularly include fresh watermelons in the menu, and correctly combine them with other products. If the watermelon pulp in the digestive tract turns out to be in the wrong neighborhood, not only useful properties can be lost, but also the onset of painful gassing processes, digestion of intestinal contents, putrefactive processes and disorders. When and with what they eat watermelon? With what groups of products will the sweet pulp show itself from the best side and be as useful as possible?
Fruits and sweet fruits, which include watermelons, are recommended to be used without mixing.
This is true for the most common way of eating, when watermelon can be eaten, with pleasure biting off a juicy chunk, enjoying the freshness and sugar content of the fragrant pulp.
The best time to eat a watermelon is the gap between main meals. Not earlier than 2 hours after the previous meal and not later than 15–20 minutes before the next meal.
However, there are situations when the question: “How do you eat a watermelon: before meals or after?”, You can get an unexpected answer. The fact is that watermelons can be safely included in the main menu of breakfast, lunch or dinner. The main thing is to follow the rules of combining products:
- The sweetness of watermelon perfectly emphasizes the taste of green cultures and a wide variety of vegetables, low-fat dairy products, cottage cheese and tender low-fat cheese.
- In small quantities, you can add different varieties of vegetable oils, nuts and dairy products, sour fruits and fruits, potatoes and babat, low-fat poultry and seafood, pumpkin and tomatoes into dishes with watermelon.
- A with fatty types of meat and fish, eggs, butter and, most importantly, with the grain, flour products and cereals watermelon should not be consumed.
Inclusion in the diet of dishes, where among the carefully selected ingredients there is watermelon pulp, will allow you to fully feel its benefits, diversify the menu and get the most vivid positive emotions.
Examples of dishes when watermelons can be eaten with benefit and pleasure
For a refreshing summer salad, besides diced, peeled watermelon flesh, you will need some homemade cheese or feta, a handful of lettuceand green cilantro. The ingredients are blended and flavored, filled with olive oil, lemon juice and spices.
Per 100 grams of butter take 2 teaspoons of sugar, black and red pepper, salt and juice of one lemon. Marinade is actively stirred and poured watermelon cubes with cheese and greens.
A salad of watermelon, slices of soft goat cheese, green arugula and rye crackers will help you feel a surge of energy. The spicy dish will give a moderately spicy onion, black pepper and a few drops of olive oil.
Grilled large shrimp, tomato and juicy watermelon salad is the perfect light dinner at the end of a hot summer day or the perfect meal for a festive table in winter.
In addition to multi-colored small tomatoes, seafood and watermelon, here you will need finely chopped, red onions and sweet peppers. For the aroma in the salad will be useful fresh mint and cilantro, a drop of balsamic vinegar, as well as black pepper and salt to taste. Season the dish with olive oil.
Even on the hottest day, perfectly quench your thirst with mojito made from watermelon juice, lime juice and fresh mint.
Salads, cold soups and light desserts with watermelon do not overload the digestive tract, can not cause fermentation in the intestine and increased gas formation. In combination with other products, watermelon, as a diuretic, acts softer. Yes, and eat a lot of watermelon is unlikely to succeed.
