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 the common misconception, watermelon is not a fruit, but a berry. . . But this in no way negates its positive qualities and beneficial effects on the body.
The history of watermelon goes back to ancient Egypt, where people already knew this culture and actively cultivated it. Historians say there is evidence of watermelon consumption as early as the 20th century BC. Therefore, watermelon seeds were found in the buildings of the pharaoh dynasty, which ruled in the centuries 20-18 BC. As you know, the Egyptians believed in life after death and placed everything that could be useful for them in the tombs of their rulers. This included food, especially watermelons. Watermelon seeds were 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 Ancient Egyptian mythology, watermelon grew from the male seed of the god Set.
Slimming and cleansing diet with watermelon
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 not only toxins and toxins to be removed from the body, but also excess fluids and, as you know, our body consists mainly of water. And given the fact that today many of us consume a greater amount of salt and other foods that retain water, water is retained in the body, which contributes to weight gain.
Watermelon allows you to flush excess fluid from the body, while cleaning the intestines, kidneys and blood vessels. Therefore, watermelon to lose weight is the first remedy, especially in the summer. In summer, due to the fact that the temperature around us is high, we spend less energy and, as a result, we feel less hungry. Therefore, the watermelon diet is an excellent option for losing weight in the summer.
Watermelon is slightly less composed of water, so it is easily absorbed, having a beneficial effect on the body.
As for the watermelon vitamins, this berry is also second to other vegetable products.
As part of the watermelon:
- calcium; magnesium;
- ;
- 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 pros and cons of the watermelon diet? First, let's talk about the cons. This is especially true in the case of the watermelon diet, in the form of a mono diet. Eating watermelon alone is 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. In addition, watermelon mono-diet is contraindicated for people with urolithiasis: kidney activity can lead to stone removal processes. The presence of stones over 4 mm in diameter can be a major problem. Therefore, the question "Is it possible to eat watermelon on a diet? " For each one is decided individually.
The benefits of the watermelon diet
Now let's talk about the benefits of the watermelon diet. The most important benefit of the watermelon diet is not even losing weight, but cleaning the body of toxins and toxins. In addition to the diuretic and choleretic effects, watermelons also have antiviral, anti-inflammatory and laxative properties. The pulp of watermelon gently stimulates intestinal motility, which allows the elimination of accumulated toxins.
To get rid of toxins and toxins that have been accumulating for many years, a watermelon will not be enough. Therefore, regularity is an important condition for successful cleaning.
If you regularly organize fasting days for yourself, eating only delicious watermelons, this will be a very effective method of cleaning 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 no insulin is produced when consumed. This means that it is totally safe for diabetics.
In addition, watermelon contains mineral salts, which help to normalize the balance of water salt in the body.
Well, another important advantage - watermelon contains antioxidants that rejuvenate our body and start the process of tissue regeneration.
Watermelon diet menu
The watermelon diet menu is simple. If you want to lose weight or cleanse your body, just eat watermelons for several days. You can eat one to two pounds of watermelons a day. However, if you have an appetite for more volume, you shouldn't deny yourself, but you need to listen to your well-being.
How long a watermelon diet can last is an individual issue. But you shouldn't eat watermelons alone for more than a week, especially if your usual diet does not include regular consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits in large quantities. If the body is simply not used to assimilating these foods, and if an unprepared person practices the mono-watermelon diet for a long time, it can lead to severe exhaustion.
Delicious watermelon and strawberry smoothie
One of the mildest options in the watermelon diet is a watermelon and strawberry smoothie. This tasty and healthy drink can not only please you, but also your friends and loved ones.
To cook, you will need:
- 2-3 slices of medium-sized watermelon;
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries
- a pair of lemongrass or mint leaves;
- a slice of lime or lemon;
- half a glass of water.
The reviews on the watermelon mono-diet can be different, and this is due to the type of food that is characteristic of a person at a given time. If the diet before switching to a diet was dominated by animal products and unnatural refined 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: 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 this at the beginning and even better, in the second half of August. Although the sale of watermelons sometimes starts as early as June. Watermelons sold in June and July are imported or grown in greenhouses, with all the delights 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 the secrets
Buying a watermelon is a responsible business. To buy a good watermelon, you need to know how to choose it carefully.
- Firstly, the weight of the watermelon is important. Do not take too small and too large. The former are probably not mature and the latter are full of chemistry. It is best to buy a watermelon with an average weight of 5 to 8 kg.
- The skin of a ripe watermelon is always hard and shiny, and the stripes are shiny. If that is not the case, the watermelon is not yet ripe or is already too ripe.
- When hit, the watermelon should make a vibrant sound - it means it is ripe.
What about nitrates?
Now, about nitrates: unfortunately, you can only discover their presence by cutting a watermelon. If the flesh is purple and the veins are yellow, the watermelon is poisoned with nitrates.
The flesh must be bright red and the veins are white, as watermelon is a pure product and can be safely consumed without harming health.
Watermelon is great for those who want to lose weight. In addition, watermelon is harmoniously suitable for any type of food - it is literally a complex of vitamins to saturate our bodies with useful substances. For example, only 150 grams of watermelon will give our body a daily dose of magnesium. Most importantly, this delicious berry is a great summer dessert, sweet and healthy.
Watermelon and melon are the best options to get rid of harmful sweets, at least in the summer. At the same time, it is important to remember that any product can be harmful if abused. There is a saying: "Eating too much - it means poisoned. " And even the healthiest foods can cause health problems if we overeat. Therefore, eating a ten-pound watermelon alone at once is not the best idea.