Watermelon — properties, vitamins, sugar, calories. What do we love this delicious fruit for?
Watermelon is one of those fruits that, thanks to its high water content, quenches our thirst during the hot summer months. It is also a perfect ingredient for cocktails and desserts. In this article you will find out, among other things, what watermelon contains and why it is healthy for our body!
Watermelon — properties
Watermelon has mainly health properties. It is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains antioxidants, i.e. lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin, which protect our body against cancer and delay the skin aging process. Due to the fact that watermelon consists of more than 90% water, it has a diuretic effect, stimulating our kidneys and urinary system to work. Thanks to its high water content, this fruit rehydrates the body very quickly and lowers body temperature, which is extremely important during the dangerous summer heat.
However, the properties of watermelon do not end here. It has a great effect on concentration, speeds up digestion, adds energy and lowers cholesterol levels. Watermelon can be a great snack after a workout, because the nutrients it contains support the cardiovascular system, expelling harmful compounds accumulated in muscles during physical activity. If you want to take full advantage of the health benefits of watermelon, don’t spit out its seeds. They contain anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Watermelon — vitamins
Vitamins in watermelon as much as possible prove how valuable this fruit is for our body. One large watermelon covers 6 times the daily requirement for vitamin C, and 5 times for vitamin A! If we gulp down and eat the whole fruit, we solve the problem of the daily dose of carbohydrates and vitamin B6. However, if we choose to eat just one piece, we also provide our body with vitamins: E, K1, folic acid, thiamine or niacin. Vitamins are not the only advantage of watermelon — it contains many minerals in the form of magnesium, potassium, fibre, phosphorus, zinc, iron and calcium.
Watermelon — calories, sugar
If you are reading this article, you are currently losing weight or just want to maintain your weight, you are probably wondering how many calories does watermelon have? Well, not many, because one slice of this fruit has only 30 kcal per 100 grams. This is less than an orange which has 47 kcal per 100 grams or a pineapple containing 54 kcal per 100 grams. Assuming that you eat one large slice weighing 350 grams, you will provide your body with 130 kcal.
Another issue, unfortunately, is the sugar content. Watermelon contains 7.55 grams of simple sugars per 100 grams, which makes this fruit classified as a high glycemic index product. This means that eating watermelon causes a spike in sugar levels and stimulates insulin, making it not recommended for diabetics.
Watermelon — beauty
Watermelon is a fruit that is not only used in meals, but also in cosmetics. The beauty industry mainly focuses on the high levels of antioxidants that are contained in it. These are mainly responsible for delaying the aging process. Such an effect is due to watermelon thanks to lycopene, but also vitamin A contained in it. It is also worth emphasizing that watermelon perfectly protects our skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation. This fruit is also rich in vitamin C, which is a sensational ingredient brightening our skin. Thanks to this cosmetics can not only have a mad watermelon smell and taste in the case of lipsticks and glosses, but also draw on its natural properties.
Salad with watermelon — recipe
A salad consisting of, among other things, watermelon is the perfect refreshing dessert during the summer heat. If you are organizing a meeting for friends and want to surprise them with an original salad, use the yellow variety of watermelon. Yellow watermelon resembles its red-fleshed cousin, but is characterized by a less intense aroma as well as taste. To make a delicious salad, you need yellow watermelon, strawberries, kiwi and mint leaves. First, wash the watermelon and cut it open to get rid of the seeds. For the salad you only need the delicious flesh, which you cut into large cubes. Wash the strawberries and peel off the stalks. If you are using large strawberries, you can cut them in half, but if you are using small ones, throw them in whole. Peel the kiwi and cut into big cubes. Then mix all the ingredients together and garnish the top of the salad with mint leaves.
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