Melon - the benefits and harm, healing properties, calorie

She more, than in an orange. The composition of the melon contains carbohydrates, organic acids, food enzymes, proteins, dietary fiber, a wide list of various vitamins and minerals. Sweet taste can vary in many shades: nutmeg, honey, pineapple, slightly pear or vanilla. Also, depending on the variety, the rind of this fruit may have a different color and texture. Its flesh is white, rich yellow, orange, reddish, and the melon itself can be of different sizes and shapes. Anyway, the wonderful taste and aroma unites all the existing varieties, of which there are about 6 thousand.

People often wonder: can melon be a fruit or a berry? This is where the most interesting begins, the fact is that there is no definite answer to this question, because this fruit is related to vegetables, fruits, and berries. It can be considered a fruit because it is sweet and rather large. At the same time, it can be positioned as a berry, because it corresponds to the characteristic of the berry - it is a multi-seeded fruit with juicy pulp.

However, if you delve into the wilds of botanical classifications, it becomes clear that the melon is nothing more than a pumpkin. A pumpkin is a multi-seeded fruit of a herbaceous plant, with juicy pulp and hard shell, which can sometimes reach large sizes.

Despite the botanical subtleties, people often call melon fruit or berry( as a “relative” of watermelon).These culinary terms have successfully taken root among summer residents, gardeners and just lovers of this sweet fruit.

The benefits and harms of melon, contraindications

The list of useful substances that make up the melon is truly impressive.

So what is the chemical composition of this solar fruit that appears on our tables towards the end of the summer?

How is melon useful?

• Contains fiber, pectins, citric acid, malic acid, nicotinic acid( vitamin PP), beta-carotene, vitamins H, A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9( folic acid), E, ​​C.
• Contains vitalimportant mineral elements necessary for the harmonious functioning of the body: phosphorus, cobalt, iron, calcium, sulfur, fluorine, potassium, sodium, zinc, chlorine, iodine, copper, manganese.
• This is an excellent tool in the fight against overweight, you just have to see how many calories are in a melon.100 g of fruit pulp contains only 33 kcal, 0.6 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat and 7.4 g of carbohydrates.
• Regular seasonal consumption of melon helps to eliminate harmful cholesterol. It also has a positive effect on the work of the heart( a large amount of calcium in the composition).
• Due to the presence of a wide list of vitamins, lovers of this fruit are easier to tolerate the attack of viruses in the cold season, have strong immunity.
• It is a mild “natural” diuretic, removes sand, and helps with cystitis.
• Melon cleans the liver, removes harmful elements, it is recommended to be eaten for liver diseases.
• Can be used as a natural and mild laxative. You can often hear or read the question in the forums - is the melon weak or strong? Keep in mind that it has a slight laxative effect on the intestines.
• Helps in the fight against worms and parasites, and, both the flesh and the seeds of the fruit have healing properties.
• Used as a cosmetic raw material for the manufacture of toning and nourishing face masks.
• Widespread use in cooking: all kinds of confiture, puddings and jelly are not only tasty, but also incredibly useful.

Now let's consider the reasons for which eating melons can be harmful to health:

• It is not recommended to eat melon and dairy products at the same time. This rule also applies to alcohol.
• During breastfeeding, it is better to abandon this delicacy, so as not to provoke a violation of the digestive system in the baby.
• Diabetics can not eat melon, due to the high sugar content in its composition.
• If there are any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that are infectious, you should refrain from eating melons. When gastritis and gastric ulcer can not eat melon.
• It is highly undesirable to combine the intake of melons with starchy food.
• Do not overeat! No matter how tasty the melon is, in large quantities it can provoke an upset stomach, bloating, nausea, and boiling in the intestines.
• Also keep in mind that it is better not to eat melon on an empty stomach.

As mentioned above, you should not combine the use of melons with other products. Before eating this sweet fruit, it should take at least 3 hours( after a meal).Nutritionists recommend not to drink water or other beverages after you have eaten a melon, since the water content in its composition is rather high. The prohibition also includes the individual reaction of the body to this fetus( allergy).Finally, it should be said that it is best to buy melons in proven places, because they have the ability to accumulate nitrates. When you buy melons “by the road”, you never know what they fertilized or sprayed with.

Melon seeds - the benefits and harm

Healing properties are not only the pulp of the fruit, but also the seeds. About their medicinal qualities known for a long time. The use of seeds as a natural medicine is still as popular today as before.

Let's look at their positive properties:

• Melon seeds work as a natural diuretic and choleretic agent.
• They have a cleansing effect on the digestive system, support the functioning of the liver and improve the functioning of the intestines.
• During pregnancy, it is recommended to drink melon seeds, as they contain folic acid, which has a positive effect on the formation of the fetus.
• When coughing, bronchitis, as well as respiratory diseases, seeds accelerate the healing process and promote sputum secretion.
• Useful to give melon seeds to children. The content of vitamins and other useful components in the composition of the seeds has a beneficial effect on the development of the young organism, the improvement of thought processes and memory.
• Keep in mind that the seeds are extremely high in calories( 555 kcal per 100 g), however, due to the ability to lower blood sugar levels, their use helps diabetics to control their weight.
• For a long time, melon seeds were considered to be a rather effective aphrodisiac, as well as a means capable of treating male diseases. For this, the seeds were finely ground and eaten 1 teaspoon three times a day.

The damage that melon seeds can bring to the body:

• Frequent and excessive use of seeds can cause weight gain. If you are inclined to be overweight, do not abuse this product.
• You can not eat seeds on an empty stomach.
• It is highly not recommended to simultaneously eat melon seeds, dairy products, alcoholic beverages, honey.
• Do not use seeds in the presence of gastric ulcers or serious gastrointestinal diseases.

Melon seeds, photo:

The benefits of melons for women

• Due to the high silicon content, melons affect the female body like tablets of youth.
• The daily intake of fragrant pulp of the fruit has a beneficial effect on the condition of hair and skin.
• As mentioned above, with the help of a melon you can easily and "tasty" lose an extra couple of kilograms( metabolism speeds up).
• Melon is very useful for future moms: it has a positive effect on the fetus, helps to cope with edema( due to its diuretic effect), works as a mild laxative.
• Melon calms the nervous system, its use really uplifting.
• Many people wonder if melon is useful during menopause? The answer will be positive, since it is folic acid that has a beneficial effect on the body during this period.
• Taking a melon in food helps get rid of depression, improves concentration and memory.
• A few slices of melon, eaten at night, improve sleep.
• By the way, if you are a lover of sunbathing, be sure to include melon in your daily diet. It is noticed that the tan is really better distributed over the skin and lasts longer.

The benefits of melon for men

• This wonderful fruit is also useful for men's health.
• If a man often feels like melon, the risk of developing various heart ailments will significantly decrease.
• Melon lovers are less likely to suffer from gout and atherosclerosis.
• Joint disease in the stronger sex is also successfully “treated” by taking melon for food, it works as an excellent prophylactic and alleviates the symptoms of the disease.
• As regards the intimate sphere of life, the dried melon seeds melted in a coffee grinder, mixed with honey( 1: 1), are the most genuine "Viagra" of natural origin. This effective and proven tool for centuries should be taken before meals. The main thing in this case - not to overdo it, so as not to disrupt the work of the spleen.

Now you also know what a melon is good for our body, health benefits and harm are based on moderation in use, knowledge of your body. If you have any doubts about the use of melon, or suddenly you feel bad after taking it, be sure to consult your doctor.

How to choose melon

Choose only whole fruits with intact skin. In no case should the melon be rotten, the option “cut off the spoiled one” in this case is not even considered. The surface of the fetus must be flawless.

The highest content of useful elements is present in fresh melons. A good melon should have a pronounced pleasant aroma, it should be slightly elastic to the touch. If you notice unpleasant nuances in her smell, it means that she is already overripe.

Evdokia melon variety

Unfortunately, the melon season is not as long as we would like, so when the time comes, take a moment! Let the yellow melon become a frequent guest on your table, the benefits and harms from its use were described in this article. If there are no contraindications, eat this sunny fruit with pleasure and treat your friends and loved ones!