There’s one thing to beat a refreshing slice of watermelon, particularly on a scorching afternoon.
Fruits are nearly ubiquitous in summer season household meals, barbecues and social gatherings and are grown everywhere in the world. In reality, there are over 1,000 kinds of watermelons!
Nevertheless, what makes enjoyable and refreshing snacks for most individuals can have an effect on blood sugar ranges in individuals dwelling with diabetes.
On this article, we’ll define the professionals and cons of consuming watermelon for individuals who stay with diabetes, in addition to the right way to incorporate (and) the fruit into your life and every day weight-reduction plan.
What are the well being advantages of consuming watermelon?
Consuming watermelons has many advantages. Beneath are the well being advantages of repeatedly consuming this pink candy fruit.
Stuffed with nutritional vitamins and minerals
Watermelon incorporates quite a lot of nutritional vitamins and minerals, together with potassium, magnesium, and nutritional vitamins A and C. It additionally has only a few energy as a consequence of being a fruit, with solely 46 energy per cup.
Additionally, watermelon cups solely have 11.5 carbohydrates, making it straightforward to make use of insulin for bolus bolus.
The intense pink colour signifies that it’s a wealthy supply of antioxidants reminiscent of carotenoids, lycopene, and cucurbitaquin E.
It may well relieve muscle ache and enhance train efficiency
Watermelon additionally incorporates citrulline, an amino acid that helps enhance athletes’ athletic efficiency. Replenishing citrulline can even assist cut back muscle ache in exercisers.
The way it works is that this compound helps to inflate blood vessels, relieve the thoughts of the additional effort to pump blood all through the physique, and enhance train efficiency and restoration.
Watermelon is nice as a result of it offers a lot wanted hydration throughout train, in addition to citrulline.
In a single examine, three teams carried out totally different formulations. One is simply watermelon juice and the opposite is a management drink with watermelon juice supplemented with further citrulline. For each drinks, drinks containing watermelon juice improved muscle ache after train and improved coronary heart price restoration in comparison with teams with management drinks.
Watermelons may additionally be appropriate for individuals with diabetes who may have hypoglycemia snacks when exercising. Watermelons present sufficient carbohydrates to assist deal with hypoglycemia with out overdoing carbohydrates or sugar.
Moreover, it’s a pure supply of vitality, with no further elements or chemical compounds.
It could enhance pores and skin well being
Nutritional vitamins present in watermelon are necessary for the well being and upkeep of the pores and skin. Vitamin C helps the physique produce collagen, a protein that strengthens the hair and retains the pores and skin supple when eaten, drunk or utilized topically.
One examine discovered that greater vitamin C consumption correlated with much less possibilities of creating dry pores and skin and wrinkles. Nonetheless, one serving of watermelon incorporates 14% of your every day really useful every day consumption of vitamin C.
Vitamin A can be extraordinarily necessary for pores and skin well being, because it helps restore broken pores and skin cells and create new pores and skin cells. It additionally promotes wound therapeutic.
A serving of watermelon incorporates 5% of the every day really useful every day consumption of this vitamin.
It could assist digestion
Along with its richness of nutritional vitamins, minerals and wholesome antioxidants, watermelon incorporates 0.6 grams of fiber per serving, which is important for wholesome digestion.
Water and fiber assist meals transfer the intestines extra simply, and together with loads of wholesome fruit and veggies throughout your weight-reduction plan can stop diarrhea, constipation and digestive issues.
Consuming fiber helps preserve your bowel actions repeatedly.
One examine discovered that folks with low fluids and low fiber consumption usually tend to endure from constipation. Extra causes to incorporate watermelon in your weight-reduction plan!
One other examine discovered that consuming watermelon is correlated with weight reduction and fullness. It is a welcome signal for individuals who need to shed extra pounds.
The disadvantages of consuming watermelon
Consuming watermelons has some drawbacks, particularly when you have diabetes. Beneath are a few of the causes you may select to keep away from this fruit.
Watermelon is especially carbohydrate
This candy fruit offers a supply of varied nutritional vitamins and minerals, however doesn’t include different macronutrients.
This could be a tough meals to eat in case you’re affected by diabetes, as carbohydrate-only meals are likely to spike your blood sugar extra shortly.
In reality, watermelons have a glucose index (GI) of 80, however carbohydrates are fairly low for fruits, so their glucose load is 5.
Pairing watermelon with protein-rich sides helps to scale back the fast rise in blood sugar ranges that could be seen when consuming fruit.
It is not very fulfilled
The watermelon may be very tasty, but it surely’s not a really fulfilling snack. This permits individuals to eat it fairly repeatedly. Notice that serving sized watermelon is 1 cup, which is 1 cup, equal to a typical 1 inch thick slice of melon.
Nevertheless, since fruit is greater than 90% water, individuals have a tendency to return to some seconds and a 3rd!
Every cup has 11 grams of carbohydrates, however having three or extra servings permits you to flip this deal with right into a high-carb, high-calorie dessert pretty shortly.
It may well trigger cardiovascular issues
Individuals who endure from extreme hyperkalemia (excessive potassium ranges) shouldn’t eat greater than 1 cup of watermelon per day.
Potassium is necessary for sustaining electrolyte perform within the physique, retaining muscle groups and bones sturdy, and sustaining coronary heart well being.
Nevertheless, if you have already got excessive potassium ranges, consuming watermelon may cause extra potassium within the blood, inflicting pulse price, irregular heartbeat, and different cardiovascular issues.
