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 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 already knew 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 pharaohs dynasty, which ruled in the 20-18 centuries BC. C. 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. Furthermore, 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 purifying 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, as well as the watermelon juice, have diuretic, choleretic and laxative properties, which allow to remove from the body not only toxins and toxins, but also excess fluids and, as you know, theour body is mainly made up of water. And since many of us today consume greater amounts of salt and other water-retaining foods, water is retained in the body, which contributes to weight gain.
Watermelon allows you to rid the body of excess fluids, also cleansing the intestines, kidneys and blood vessels. Therefore, watermelon for weight loss is the first real remedy, especially in the summer season. 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 a great choice for losing weight in the summer.
Watermelon is slightly less than completely water, so it is easily absorbed, with 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 the watermelon:
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- sodium;
- phosphorus;
- hardware;
- folic acid;
- ascorbic acid.
And many other useful ingredients - this is what watermelon can give us.
Watermelon diet for weight loss: benefits and risks
What are the general pros and cons of the watermelon diet? 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 alone is a good cleansing practice, but it is contraindicated for people with weak kidneys, since with such a diet the kidneys work at full capacity, because watermelon, as mentioned above, has a diuretic effect. Watermelon mono-diet is also contraindicated for people with urolithiasis: kidney activity can lead to the processes of removing stones from them. The presence of stones with a diameter greater than 4 mm can be a big problem. Therefore, the question "Is it possible to eat watermelon on a diet? " For each 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 to lose weight, but to cleanse 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 it to get rid of accumulated toxins.
To get rid of toxins and toxins that have been accumulating for many years, one eaten watermelon will not be enough. Therefore, regularity is an important condition for effective cleaning.
If you regularly organize fasting days for yourself, eating only delicious watermelons, this will be a very effective method of cleansing 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 completely safe for diabetics.
In addition, watermelon contains mineral salts, which help normalize the water-salt balance in the body.
Well, another important benefit: Watermelon contains antioxidants that rejuvenate our body and start the tissue regeneration process.
Diet menu with watermelon
The watermelon diet menu is simple. If there is a goal to lose weight or cleanse the body, it is enough to eat only watermelons for several days. You can eat one to two kilograms of watermelons per day. However, if you have an appetite for more volume, you shouldn't deny yourself, but you must listen to your well-being.
How long can a watermelon diet last is an individual question. But don't just eat watermelons for more than a week, especially if your regular diet doesn't include regular consumption of large quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables. If the body is simply not used to assimilating such food, and if an unprepared person practices the mono-watermelon diet for a long time, this can lead to severe exhaustion.
Delicious watermelon and strawberry smoothie
One of the more delicate options in the watermelon diet is a watermelon and strawberry smoothie. This tasty and healthy drink can please not only yourself, but also your friends and loved ones.
To cook you will need:
- 2-3 medium-sized slices of watermelon;
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries
- a couple of lemon balm or mint leaves;
- a slice of lime or lemon;
- half a glass of water.
Reviews about the mono-diet of watermelon can be found different, and this is due to the very type of food that is characteristic of a person at any given time. If the diet before switching to a diet was dominated by animal products and refined, unnatural food, then such a diet can quickly lead to exhaustion, so it should not be practiced for a long time.
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 begins 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: reveal its secrets
Buying a 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 get too small and too big. The former are most likely not ripe and the latter are full of chemistry. It is better to buy a watermelon with an average weight of 5-8 kg.
- The skin of a ripe watermelon is always hard and shiny and the streaks are bright. If not, the watermelon is not ripe yet or is already overripe.
- When touched, the watermelon should make a ringing 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 pulp is purple and the veins are yellow, the watermelon is poisoned with nitrates.
The pulp should be bright red and the veins white, such a watermelon is a pure product and can be eaten safely without harm to health.
Watermelon is great for anyone looking to lose weight. In addition, watermelon is harmoniously suitable for any type of food - it is literally a vitamin complex to saturate our body with useful substances. For example, just 150 grams of watermelon will give our body a daily dose of magnesium. And best of all, this delicious berry makes a great summer dessert, sweet and healthy.
Watermelon and cantaloupe are the best options for getting 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 - means poisoned". And even healthier food can lead to health problems if we overeat. Therefore, eating a ten-kilogram watermelon alone at once is not the best idea.