According to you, what could be the “Most Nutritious and Powerful Summer Food for Weight Loss”?
If you were looking for the same answer or somehow hopped on it, stay and know something valuable!
This powerful summer food has 0% Fat, and 90% of water content along with being extremely low in calories. Isn’t it too good to be true?
But trust me it is!To raise your curiosity, it also helps boost metabolism and immunity. It’s Rich in antioxidants and loaded with multiple vitamins like A, B, C. This food is also considered as one of the best pre and post workout foods during summers.
To your surprise, it is named by the food scientists as the “Best Summer Disease Fighter Food”.
At last, breaking the silence, the food that we were and are going to talk about is none other than the very healthy, delicious, and nutritious “WATERMELON”.
Nutritional information
Here are the nutrients in 1 cup (150 grams) of raw, diced watermelon:
Calories | 46 Kcal |
Carbohydrates | 11.5 gm |
Fiber | 0.6 gm |
Sugar | 9.5 gm |
Protein | 0.9 gm |
Fat | 0.1 gm |
Vitamin A, Vitamin C: 14% of the DV, Potassium, Magnesium.
It’s Rich in antioxidants including, carotenoids, lycopene, and cucurbitacin.
Great Pre and Post Workout Drink.
- Watermelon is a rich source of Citrulline, an amino acid that improves exercise performance.
- Regular intake of citrulline improves aerobic performance by increasing the body’s production of nitric oxide. It also helps maintain Electrolyte balance.
- In Post workout, it helps reduce muscle soreness and improves recovery time.
Is it Good for Diabetics & Weight Loss?
- It’s high in Fructose (Fruit Sugar) but still it won’t spike blood sugar levels.
- Watermelon has a glycemic index (GI) value between 75-80 (therefore termed as High Glycemic food)
- However, its glycemic load (how quickly it enters your bloodstream and how much glucose it can produce) is mere 5. So, you can enjoy a slice without guilt. This juicy fruit helps your kidneys convert L-citrulline (amino acid) into L-arginine (amino acid). In fact, these two amino acids have a tendency to protect you from diabetes. Medically speaking, the L-arginine supplement that watermelon has is crucial for regulating glucose metabolism and insulin by the body.
- It also helps in Weight loss as it is low in calories, makes you feel full, reduce muscle soreness, and boosts metabolism. Watermelon helps in detoxification specially removing toxins from the kidney. It helps recover from metabolic syndrome and reduces inflammation too.
Health Benefits of Watermelon
- High water and fiber content inside watermelon helps in the process of digestion.
- Due to it high water content, it helps prevent dehydration.
- Brain and nervous system: Choline (Ko—Lin) is another antioxidant that occurs in watermelon which contributes to the following functions: muscle movement, learning and memory, maintaining the structure of cell membranes, the transmission of nerve impulses, early brain development.
- It may also help prevent asthma.
- Watermelon hydrates as well as rejuvenates the skin too.
- Watermelon do have anti-cancer properties.
- Supports the heart health.
- Watermelon has a natural pigment called beta-cryptoxanthin that may protect your joints from inflammation.
- Good for your eyesight.
- Watermelon is considered healthy for pregnant women.
- Presence of lycopene in watermelon is linked with protecting the body against free radicals and infections.
- It is also known to be good for teeth/gum health.
How to add to Diet?
Incorporating any food item in the diet is way harder than knowing about it. So here are the top ways in which you can consume it:
- Whole fruit.
- Juice without straining or adding water.
- Shake (never have with dairy milk as per Ayurveda)
- Popsicles.
- Salads.
Some interesting Facts about watermelon!
- Don’t worry if you do swallow a seed. They’re actually full of nutrients!
- There are about 1200 different varieties of watermelons present worldwide.
- This is the most consumed fruit in the United States.
- It is also listed as the most consumed fruit in the world.
- It is the 2nd largest grown food in world after banana & grown in over 96 countries.
How to Pick a Watermelon?
- Pick a melon that’s free of dents, nicks, and bruises.
- Look for a yellow, not white, spot on the bottom. This signals that it’s ripe.
- A juicy, ready-to-eat watermelon will feel heavy for its size.
- When you thump it, it should sound hollow.
Ayurvedic Properties
- Taste: Sweet.
- Property: light.
- Potency: Cold.
- Effect on dosha: Vata neutral, Pitta balancing, kapha neutral.
Care & Precautions
It is generally regarded as a very safe food item, but some extra care and precautions could be:
- Consume in moderation: Too much watermelon can cause stomach troubles.
- Diabetic patients must consume whole, not juice.
- Watch for allergies.
- Don’t combine with alcohol: Lycopene in this fruit can react with alcohol, increasing the chances of liver inflammation.
- Avoid mixing with other high water content fruit or water while eating a watermelon. As it can cause Water intoxication, also called over hydration.
- Fad Diet: Watermelon diet is a Fad Diet.
- As per ayurveda: watermelon is not good to munch at night as it may cause certain health issues.
- Don’t cook watermelon as per ayurveda (baked or grilled).
This was all about this amazingly healthy and refreshing fruit: “Watermelon”!
Add it to your diet to attain maximum health benefits.