The striped green fruit, which ripens in late July or mid-August depending on the region, has long been a symbol of summer. Contrary to the popular misconception, watermelon is not a fruit at all, but a berry. . . But this in no way negates their positive properties and beneficial effects on the body.
The history of the watermelon goes back to ancient Egypt, where people already knew and actively cultivated this culture. Historians claim that there is evidence of watermelon consumption as early as the 20th century BC. So watermelon seeds were found in the buildings of the dynasty of the Pharaohs, who lived in the 20th-18th centuries. Century BCRuled. As you know, the Egyptians believed in the afterlife and placed whatever could be useful to them in the tombs of their rulers. This included foods, especially watermelons. Watermelon seeds have even been found in the tomb of the legendary Tutankhamun. In addition, watermelons were often depicted on the walls of tombs and in ancient medical treatises. According to the mythology of ancient Egypt, 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 as well as the watermelon juice have diuretic, choleretic and laxative properties that allow you to remove not only toxins and toxins, but also excess fluid and, as you know, our body is made up of the bodymainly from water. And given the fact that many of us today are consuming an increased amount of salt and other foods that retain water, water is retained in the body, which contributes to weight gain.
With the watermelon you can rid the body of excess fluid and at the same time cleanse the intestines, kidneys and blood vessels. Therefore, watermelon is the very first remedy for weight loss, especially in the summer season. In summer, due to the high temperature around us, we use less energy and therefore feel less hungry. Hence, the watermelon diet is an excellent choice for losing weight in summer.
Watermelon is a little less than completely water, so it is easily absorbed and has a positive effect on the body.
As far as the vitamins in watermelon are concerned, this berry does not lag behind other plant-based 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: the benefits and harms
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of the watermelon diet? First, let's talk about the cons. This is especially true for the watermelon diet in the form of a mono diet. Eating watermelon on its own is a good cleansing practice, but it is contraindicated for people with weak kidneys, as such a diet will put the kidneys at full capacity, since watermelons, as mentioned above, have a diuretic effect. Also, the watermelon mono diet is contraindicated for people with urolithiasis: kidney activity can cause stones to be removed from them. The presence of stones larger than 4mm in diameter can be a major problem. Hence the question "is it possible to eat watermelon on a diet? " Is decided individually for each.
The benefits of the watermelon diet
Now let's talk about the benefits of the watermelon diet. The main benefit of the watermelon diet is not even losing weight, but cleansing the body of toxins and toxins. In addition to diuretic and choleretic effects, watermelons also have antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and laxative properties. Watermelon pulp gently stimulates intestinal motility, which removes accumulated toxins.
To get rid of toxins and toxins that have accumulated for many years, it is not enough to just eat a watermelon. Regularity is therefore an important prerequisite for successful cleaning.
If you regularly arrange fasting days for yourself and only eat delicious watermelons, it is a very effective method of cleansing the whole body that will give a good result.
There is also good 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, the watermelon contains mineral salts that help normalize the water-salt balance in the body.
Well, another important plus - watermelon contains antioxidants that rejuvenate our bodies and start the process of tissue regeneration.
Watermelon diet menu
The watermelon diet menu is straightforward. If there is a goal to lose weight or cleanse the body, it will be enough just to eat watermelon for several days. You can eat one to two kilograms of watermelons a day. However, if you have an appetite for volume up, don't refuse, listen to your well-being.
How long a watermelon diet can last is an individual question. However, you shouldn't eat watermelon alone for more than a week, especially if your usual diet doesn't include regular consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits in large quantities. If the body is simply not used to ingesting such 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 milder options on the watermelon diet is a watermelon and strawberry smoothie. This tasty and healthy drink can please not only yourself, but also your friends and relatives.
For cooking you need:
- 2-3 medium-sized watermelon wedges;
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries
- a few lemon balm or mint leaves;
- a lime or lemon wedge;
- half a glass of water.
Reviews of the watermelon mono diet can vary, and this is due to the type of food that is characteristic of a person at any given time. If the diet was dominated by animal products and refined unnatural foods before switching to a diet, 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 main question: when to buy watermelons and how to choose them so as not to hurt yourself with a poor quality product? On average, it is recommended to do this at the beginning, and even better in the second half of August. Although watermelon sales sometimes start as early as June. The watermelons sold in June and July are either imported or grown in greenhouses, with all the delicacies 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 in early or mid-August.
How to choose a ripe watermelon: reveal the secrets
Buying a watermelon is a responsible business. In order 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 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 stripes are light. If this is not the case, the watermelon is either not yet ripe or already overripe.
- When tapped, the watermelon should make a ring - this means it's ripe.
What about nitrates?
Now about nitrates: Unfortunately, the only way to find out their presence is by slicing a watermelon. If the pulp is purple and the veins are yellow, then the watermelon is poisoned with nitrates.
The pulp should be light red and the veins are white. Such a watermelon is a pure product and is safe to eat without harm to health.
Watermelon is great for those who want to lose weight. Watermelon is also harmoniously suitable for any type of food - it is literally a complex of vitamins to saturate our body with useful substances. For example, just 150 grams of watermelon provide our body with a daily dose of magnesium. And above all, this delicious berry is a great summer dessert, sweet and healthy.
Watermelon and melon are the best options for getting rid of harmful sweets, at least in summer. At the same time, it should be noted that any product can be harmful if misused. There is a saying, “Overeating - means poisoned. ” And even the healthiest food can lead to health problems if we overeat. Therefore, eating a ten-pound watermelon at one time is not the best idea.