What’s watermelon?
Watermelon is a really giant vine fruit that grows on the bottom. It has a tough, green-striped pores and skin which is inedible. Inside is a delicate, vivid pink-red flesh with black seeds, each of which might be consumed.
Watermelons are grown in plenty of nations, together with China, Turkey, Iran, Brazil and the USA.
Uncover our full vary of well being profit guides and take a look at a few of our favorite watermelon recipes, from our watermelon salsa to our watermelon, prawn and avocado salad.
Dietary profile of watermelon
An 80g serving gives:
- 25 Kcal / 106 KJ
- 0.4g Protein
- 0.2g Fats
- 5.7g Carbohydrates
- 0.1g Fibre
- 80mg Potassium
- 93mcg Carotene
- 6mg Vitamin C
An 80g serving counts as certainly one of your five-a-day. Take a look at our printable infographic to seek out out what else counts in the direction of your 5-a-day.
What are the highest well being advantages of watermelon?
1. Helps hydration
Sustaining hydration is important for well being with even modest ranges of dehydration more likely to manifest as tiredness, complications, muscle cramps and attainable blood stress issues. Watermelon is essentially made up of water (92%), with 20% of our water wants acquired from meals, together with watermelon could make a helpful contribution and particularly so for the aged who’re much less aware of the feeling of thirst.
2. Might help weight administration
Due to its high-water content material watermelon has a low-calorie density, this implies a big slice of watermelon has a comparatively small calorie contribution. Consuming meals, like this, that are each filling however low in energy seems to assist promote fullness and scale back urge for food.
3. Might help wholesome pores and skin and eyes
The pink-red flesh of the watermelon tells us its wealthy in compounds known as carotenoids, together with beta-carotene, which we convert to vitamin A. Usually known as pro-vitamin A, beta-carotene, helps preserve our eyes and pores and skin wholesome.
4. Wealthy supply of lycopene
One other carotenoid present in watermelon is lycopene, in truth the kind of lycopene in watermelon is extra available to us, making watermelon an particularly helpful supply. Lycopene has obtained a lot consideration and is believed to be efficient in decreasing the danger of sure cancers, supporting coronary heart and eye well being and decreasing the potential of persistent situations reminiscent of sort 2 diabetes.
5. Might help blood stress and train efficiency
Latest findings recommend phytonutrients present in watermelon, particularly L-citrulline could assist decrease blood stress and enhance train efficiency in younger wholesome adults.
Is watermelon protected for everybody?
Watermelon is protected for most individuals to get pleasure from nevertheless there are a small quantity of people that could also be allergic, though that is uncommon. Allergy could happen because of cross reactivity whereby somebody allergic to sure pollens, such because the ragweed or grass pollens, could react to watermelon additionally.
Whereas some allergic reactions might be gentle, they can be life-threatening so if any indicators of a extreme allergy seem, reminiscent of respiratory difficulties, bother swallowing or talking, or feeling dizzy and faint, emergency medical care ought to be sought.
Learn extra from the NHS about meals allergy symptoms and when to hunt assist.
Watermelon recipes
Watermelon & feta salad
Watermelon, prawn & avocado salad
Watermelon lollies
Watermelon salsa
Heirloom tomato & watermelon salad
Grilled aubergine, watermelon & sesame salad
Duck, watermelon & herb salad
Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a registered nutritionist with a publish graduate diploma in personalised diet & dietary remedy. She is a member of the British Affiliation for Vitamin and Life-style Medication (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Meals Writers. Over the past 15 years she has been a contributing writer to plenty of dietary and cookery publications together with BBC Good Meals.
Nicola Shubrook is a dietary therapist and works with each non-public purchasers and the company sector. She is an accredited member of the British Affiliation for Utilized Vitamin and Dietary Remedy (BANT) and the Complementary & Pure Healthcare Council (CNHC). Discover out extra at urbanwellness.co.uk.
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