Content
Melon is a fragrant, deliciously delicious fruit that has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. This gift of nature is appreciated not only for its gastronomic qualities, but also for its useful and dietary properties. What are the benefits and harms of melon for human health and what it is: a berry, fruit or still a vegetable, as well as how to eat this fruit for people with health problems - is described in detail in the article.
Melon is a berry, vegetable or fruit
In search of an answer to this question, botanists are still engaged in fierce disputes and cannot come to a consensus.
Melon has a pronounced sweet taste, which is why it is often added to fruit salads and vitamin juices. However, it is known that it grows on melons, like a pumpkin or cucumber, while fruits ripen on branches of trees or shrubs. Therefore, it is not entirely correct to attribute this fruit to fruit.
The assumption that the melon is a berry also has a right to life. The thin and soft skin contains juicy and sweet pulp, as well as a mass of seeds, which is typical for berries. In favor of this version, we can add the fact that melon ripens on the ground, which is characteristic of many berry crops. However, in botany, melon fruits are not considered berries in the full sense of the word. Most often they are called pumpkins or false berries.
There are also many facts in favor of the version that melon is a vegetable. After all, the fruits growing on the stems of herbaceous plants are vegetables. And the melon, besides being a member of the Pumpkin family and related to cucumber and zucchini, grows on a long herbaceous stem.
It is due to the fact that this fruit simultaneously has the characteristics of a fruit, and a vegetable, and a berry, the final answer has not yet been found. And for an ordinary person who enjoys the taste of the fruit without delving into the jungle of botany, it is not as important to know this as what the benefits of this gift of nature are and how best to use it for health.
Composition and nutritional value
Melon contains a lot of essential trace elements and minerals for the normal functioning of all body systems - copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, iodine, phosphorus, sulfur and sodium. The beneficial properties of melon are indispensable for the prevention of colds, urolithiasis, and the use of this fruit well stimulates the immune system.
In addition, the melon contains folic acid, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the hematopoietic organs, and also reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. Another positive quality - melon improves mood, as it promotes the release of the hormone of happiness. The anti-stress properties help to cope with insomnia, anxiety and unreasonable anxiety.
How many calories are in a melon
The calorie content of a melon directly depends on the variety and growing conditions of the crop.High sugar melons are more nutritious. On average, 100 grams contains 33 - 35 kcal. There are dietary varieties, for example, Kassaba - 28 kcal. And also there are dessert varieties, such as Honey Dew or Cantaloupe: from 38 to 51 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Melon vitamin content
This fruit is famous for its rich set of healthy vitamins such as A, C, E, H, PP, as well as group B. In addition, it contains beta-carotene, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair. Moreover, there is even more of this substance in melon than in carrots, which is considered the leader in carotene content.
BZHU content
The ratio of BJU (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) per 100 g:
- proteins - 0.6 g;
- fats - 0.3 g;
- carbohydrates - 7.4g.
In energy ratio, it looks like this 7%, 8%, 85% of the daily value, or 2 kcal, 3 kcal and 30 kcal, respectively. In total, this is 35 kcal, moreover, the share of carbohydrates in the melon accounts for 30 kcal, and only 5 for fats and proteins.
How melon is useful for the human body
Melon has many beneficial properties:
- strengthens blood vessels, increasing their elasticity;
- fights nervous disorders;
- enhances immunity;
- stimulates brain activity;
- normalizes liver and kidney function;
- has a diuretic and diaphoretic property;
- has an anti-toxic effect;
- lowers high blood pressure.
This gift of nature is useful for absolutely everyone: for men and women (pregnant women in particular), and for children (even the smallest).
The benefits of melon for the human body lie not only in the rich mineral and vitamin composition, but also in fiber. Pectin fibers improve the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract, remove toxins and harmful substances from the body, and also quickly saturate.
How melon is useful for a woman's body
Melon is beneficial for women as it has anti-aging properties and maintains healthy nails, skin and hair. It will relieve insomnia and depression, which has a beneficial effect on the appearance of any of the fairer sex.
Melon is useful for pregnant women and women in menopause, due to the high content of vitamin B9 (folic acid). And its antidepressant properties will help to cope with the bad mood and mild nervous breakdown that accompany every woman at these stages of life.
Melon benefits during pregnancy
Melon is very useful during pregnancy, as folic acid deficiency occurs in every second woman. With its lack, the body of both the expectant mother and the unformed fetus suffers. With a lack of folic acid in the body of a pregnant woman, there is a considerable risk that the child in the future will suffer from various nervous disorders and may even lag behind in mental development.
How melon is useful for men
The benefits of melon extend to men as well. It is famous for its high content of such a trace element as zinc, which improves the quality and quantity of sperm. In addition, this fragrant fruit is a natural aphrodisiac that purifies the blood and increases potency.
At what age can a melon for children
A baby who is under 12 months old cannot be given this fruit, despite all its benefits. Firstly, the child's intestines are not yet able to cope with such a load, and secondly, the melon does not go well with milk, which is the basis of a small person's diet.
How to eat a melon
The pulp of the fruit contains a lot of fiber, so it should be eaten between main meals. The ideal would be to take either 2 hours before meals, or two hours later. Otherwise, you may experience a feeling of overeating and heaviness in the stomach.
This sweet fruit should not be used as a snack when consuming alcoholic beverages - it is fraught with loosening of the stool. For the same reason, you should not include the melon in milkshakes or wash it down with water.
When asked whether it is possible to eat a melon on an empty stomach, nutritionists advise to avoid such situations. Still, melon is considered a heavy product, therefore there is a risk of overeating, which will cause disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, the appearance of flatulence and intestinal upset.
With gastritis
The possibility of eating melon for gastritis depends on the degree of the disease. If gastritis proceeds in an acute form, this fetus will have to be discarded. The stomach with inflamed walls intensively begins to produce acid for the digestion of this product, which aggravates the disease, and, in addition, induces fermentation in the intestines.
If gastritis is in a calm form, you can use this fruit, but in small portions, and only fresh.
With pancreatitis
As in the previous case, the introduction of melon into the diet for pancreatitis depends on the phase of the disease. If in the acute phase, melon cannot be eaten, since it stimulates the release of hydrochloric acid, which, in turn, leads to the activation of pancreatic secretion.
After the inflammation of the pancreatic tissue subsides and the disease enters the stage of stable remission, it can be gradually tried to be introduced into the diet.
With diabetes mellitus
Melon has a glycemic index of 65: consuming it dramatically increases blood sugar levels.
Therefore, in type II diabetes, melon can be included in the diet, however, in small quantities (100-200 g), provided that other carbohydrates are completely excluded. In insulin-dependent diabetes, the product can be eaten in reasonable quantities, while strictly controlling blood sugar levels by increasing the dose of insulin.
With stomach ulcers
The presence of melon with stomach ulcers is undesirable in the diet, since fiber is difficult to digest and has a negative effect on the mucous membrane of the organ. Causing strong surges in acidity, this product, getting into the stomach, aggravates the course of the disease, and can also cause strong fermentation.
Is it possible to melon after removing the gallbladder
After removing the gallbladder, the melon can be added to the diet immediately after surgery. Firstly, this extremely useful fruit, due to its choleretic effect, will flush the bile ducts. Secondly, the presence of vitamin B15 in its composition prevents the formation of calculi (stones) in the ducts.
Melon weakens or strengthens
Melon has a mild laxative effect. The plant fibers contained in the pulp make the intestines work more actively, improving its peristalsis, therefore this fruit is also useful for people suffering from systematic constipation.
Is it possible to eat a melon while losing weight
Due to its low calorie content, the product can be eaten even by people who are struggling with excess weight, despite its sweetness. Melon is useful for weight loss due to its properties:
- due to the high fiber content, have a laxative effect;
- due to its diuretic properties, remove water from the body;
- with the help of adenosine (a biologically active substance present in the composition of the fetus) to help normalize metabolism;
- give a feeling of fullness for a long time, which is facilitated by plant fibers.
However, do not forget that melon has a fairly high glycemic index, which contributes to an increase in appetite, therefore, it is not recommended for people who are losing weight to eat more than 300 g per day.
Is it possible to eat a melon at night
The myth that melons get fat because they are sweet is completely unfounded. You can recover only if you eat it in excessive quantities or combine it with the main meal. If you use the fruit correctly, it is simply impossible to get fat.
A slice of melon has been proven to be beneficial to eat at night. Antioxidants improve the quality of sleep, and fiber, in addition to relieving the temptation of a snack before bed, absorbs harmful substances in the morning and gently removes it from the body.
The only caveat is not to forget about the diuretic effect of melon. Therefore, you should not eat more than one slice at night.
Melon diet for weight loss
Nutritionists recommend eating a melon with a diet in this way: replace one of the meals with this product, while eating no more than 300 g. After 7 days, 3-4 kg of excess weight will go away.
In addition, the product is well suited for mono diets and fasting days. However, no more than two days of such a diet is allowed, since the body will begin to experience a deficiency of fats and proteins. With a mono-diet, 1500 g of melon should be eaten per day, divided into 6 receptions and drinking between them up to 1.5 - 2.0 liters of water or green tea.
If you spend such fasting days at least once a week for a month, up to 6 kg of weight will irrevocably go away.
Why melon juice is good for you
Melon juice is deservedly considered one of the healthiest. It is an excellent thirst quencher due to its high content of pure water. In addition, it contains adenosine, which takes an active part in many metabolic processes in the body and improves the absorption of protein.
Melon Juice Benefits:
- in cleansing the body from slagging;
- help with inflammation in the renal pelvis;
- removal of excess water from the body;
- strengthening the heart muscle and preventing heart attacks;
- elimination of anemia - due to the high iron content;
- prevention of oncological diseases;
- restoration of violations in the work of the liver and kidneys.
In addition, the juice of this unusually useful gift of nature is widely used in cosmetology. People with problem skin with acne are advised to wipe problem areas with warm juice before bedtime. After a week, there will be no trace of acne.
Due to the high content of potassium and silicon, the juice is used as a remedy for hair loss, fragility and dryness. After each hair wash, the juice is rubbed into the scalp and left for 15 minutes, after which it is washed off with clean water. After just a few procedures, the condition of the hair will improve significantly.
Limitations and contraindications
In addition to its beneficial properties, melon is capable of causing harm in some cases. With extreme caution, it should be eaten:
- people with various problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- suffering from diabetes mellitus;
- nursing mothers;
- children under one year of age.
Otherwise, this fragrant and sweet fruit only brings health benefits.
It is worth remembering that the abuse of even very useful products can cause irreparable harm to health.
Conclusion
From all of the above, we can conclude that the health benefits and harms of melon depend on its correct use. It is important to understand that vitamins do not have the ability to accumulate, and therefore there is no need to overeat melons in summer, trying to stock up on useful substances for the winter. Two hundred to three hundred grams a day will go to the good of health, a larger amount can cause long-term intestinal upset.
