The striped green fruit, which ripens depending on the region in late July or mid-August, has long been a symbol of summer. Contrary to common misconception, watermelon is not a fruit at all, but a berry. . . But this in no way negates its positive qualities and beneficial effects on the body.
The history of watermelon dates back to ancient Egypt, where people were already familiar with this culture and actively cultivated it. Historians claim that there is evidence of watermelon consumption as early as the 20th century BC. Thus, watermelon seeds were found in the buildings of the pharaoh dynasty, which ruled in the 20th-18th century BC. As you know, the Egyptians believed in the afterlife and put everything that could be useful to them in the tombs of their rulers. This included food, especially watermelons. Watermelon seeds have even been found in the tomb of the legendary Tutankhamun. In addition, watermelons were also often depicted on tomb walls and in ancient medical treatises. According to the mythology of ancient Egypt, the watermelon grew from the male seed of the god Set.
Watermelon diet for weight loss and cleansing
The answer to the question of whether it is possible to eat watermelon while losing weight is obvious - it is possible and necessary. And not just because watermelon is a low-calorie product.
The calorie content of watermelon per hundred grams is only 38 calories.
The point is also that the pulp, like watermelon juice, has diuretic, choleretic and laxative properties, which allows you to remove from the body not only toxins and toxins, but also excess fluid, and as you know - and our body consists mainlyof water. And due to the fact that today many of us consume increased amounts of salt and other foods that retain water, water is retained in the body, which contributes to weight gain.
Watermelon allows you to rid the body of excess fluid, while cleansing the intestines, kidneys and blood vessels. Therefore, watermelon for weight loss is the first remedy, especially in the summer season. In summer, due to the fact that the temperature around us is high, we consume less energy and as a result we feel less hungry. Therefore, a diet with watermelons is a great choice for weight loss in the summer.
Watermelon is slightly less than completely water, so it is easily absorbed and has a beneficial effect on the body.
As for the vitamins in watermelon, this berry also does not lag behind other plant products.
As part of a watermelon:
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- sodium;
- phosphorus;
- hardware;
- folic acid;
- ascorbic acid.
And many other useful ingredients - that's what watermelon can give us.
Watermelon diet for weight loss: benefits and harms
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of a diet with watermelons? First of all, let’s talk about the cons. This is especially true of the watermelon diet in the form of a mono diet. Eating watermelons is just a good cleansing practice, but it is contraindicated for people with weak kidneys, because with such a diet the kidneys work at full capacity, because watermelon, as mentioned above, has a diuretic effect. Also, a mono-diet of watermelon is contraindicated for people with urolithiasis: kidney activity can lead to the process of removing stones from them. The presence of stones over 4 mm in diameter can be a big problem. Therefore, the question arises "Is it possible to eat watermelon on a diet? " For each is decided individually.
Benefits of a child with watermelons
Now let's talk about the benefits of a diet with watermelons. The most important benefit of a diet with watermelons is not even in weight loss, but in cleansing the body of toxins and toxins. In addition to diuretic and choleretic effect, watermelons also have antiviral, anti-inflammatory and laxative properties. Watermelon cellulose gently stimulates bowel motility, allowing it to get rid of accumulated toxins.
To get rid of toxins and toxins that accumulate over many years, just eating watermelon will not be enough. Therefore, regularity is an important condition for successful cleaning.
If you regularly arrange fasting days, eating only delicious watermelons, this will be a very effective way to cleanse the whole body, which will give a good result.
There is also great news for people with diabetes: watermelon does not contain complex sugars, so insulin is not produced when consumed. This means that it is completely safe for diabetics.
Also, watermelon contains mineral salts, which helps to normalize the balance of water and salt in the body.
Well, another important plus - watermelon contains antioxidants that rejuvenate our body and start the process of tissue regeneration.
Diet menu with watermelons
The watermelon diet menu is simple. If the goal is to lose weight or cleanse the body, it is enough to eat only watermelons for a few days. You can eat one to two pounds of watermelon a day. However, if you have an appetite for more sound, you should not deny yourself, but you should listen to your good.
How long a watermelon diet can last is an individual question. But you should not eat watermelons for more than a week, especially if your usual type of diet does not include regular consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits in large quantities. If the body is simply not accustomed to assimilating such food and if an unprepared person applies a mono-watermelon diet for a long time, it can lead to serious exhaustion.
Delicious watermelon and strawberry smoothie
One of the milder options on a watermelon diet is a watermelon and strawberry smoothie. This delicious and healthy drink can please not only you, but also your friends and loved ones.
For cooking you will need:
- 2-3 wedges of medium-sized watermelon;
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- a pair of lemon balm or mint leaves;
- slice of lime or lemon;
- half a glass of water.
Reviews of the mono-diet of watermelon can be found different, and this is due to the very type of food that is inherent in man at a given time. If the diet before switching to a diet was dominated by animal products and refined unnatural foods, then such a diet can quickly lead to exhaustion, so it should not be practiced for long.
When is the best time to buy a watermelon
Now the most important question is: when to buy watermelons and how to choose them so as not to harm yourself with a low-quality product? On average, it is recommended to do it at the beginning, and even better in the second half of August. Although watermelon sales begin, sometimes, as early as June. Watermelons sold in June and July are either imported or grown in greenhouses, with all the pleasures in the form of various fertilizers and other chemicals.
Don’t buy watermelons in the middle of summer. The best time to buy watermelons is early or mid-August.
How to choose a ripe watermelon: revealing secrets
Buying watermelon is a responsible business. To buy a good watermelon, you need to know how to choose it carefully.
- First of all, the weight of the watermelon is important. Don’t take too small and too big. The former are most likely not mature, and the latter are overwhelmed with chemistry. It is better to buy a watermelon weighing an average of 5-8 kg.
- The rind of a ripe watermelon is always hard and shiny, and the stripes are bright. If this is not the case, the watermelon is either not yet ripe or is already overripe.
- When you tap a watermelon, it needs the sound of a bell - it means it is ripe.
What about nitrates?
Now about nitrates: unfortunately, you can only find out about their presence by cutting watermelon. If the pulp is purple and the veins are yellow, then watermelon is poisoned with nitrates.
Cellulose should be bright red and veins white, such a watermelon is a pure product and can be safely eaten without harm to health.
Watermelon is great for those who want to lose weight. Also, watermelon is harmoniously suitable for any type of food - it is literally a vitamin complex that saturates our body with useful substances. For example, just 150 grams of watermelon will provide our body with a daily dose of magnesium. And most importantly, this delicious berry is a great summer dessert, sweet and healthy.
Watermelon and melon are the best option to get rid of harmful sweets at least in summer. At the same time, it is important to remember that any product can be harmful if abused. There is such a saying: "Overeating - means poisoning. " And even the healthiest food can lead to health problems if we overeat. Therefore, eating ten kilograms of watermelon in just one stroke is not the best idea.