Content
Melon is a fragrant, deliciously delicious fruit that people have grown as a crop for many thousands of years. This gift of nature is valued not only for its gastronomic qualities, but also for its beneficial and dietary properties. What are the benefits and harms of melon for human health and what is it: a berry, a fruit or 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 debate 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 the branches of trees or bushes. Therefore, it is not entirely correct to classify this fruit as a fruit.
The assumption that a melon is a berry also has a right to life. Under the thin and soft skin there is 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 the melon ripens on the ground, which is typical for many berry crops. However, in botany, melon fruits are not considered berries in the full sense of the word. More 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, fruits growing on the stems of herbaceous plants are vegetables. And the melon, in addition to belonging to the Pumpkin family and being related to cucumber and zucchini, grows on a long herbaceous stem.
Precisely due to the fact that this fruit simultaneously has the characteristics of a fruit, 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, knowing this is not as important 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 necessary 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 and urolithiasis; consumption of this fruit also stimulates the functioning of the immune system.
In addition, 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 is that melon improves mood because it promotes the release of the happiness hormone. Anti-stress properties help cope with insomnia, anxiety and causeless worry.
How many calories are in melon
The calorie content of melon directly depends on the variety and growing conditions of the crop. Melons with high sugar content are more nutritious. On average, 100 grams contain 33 - 35 kcal. There are dietary varieties, for example, Kassaba - 28 kcal. There are also dessert varieties, such as Honey Dew or Cantaloupe: from 38 to 51 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Content of vitamins in melon
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.
Contents of the BZHU
The ratio of BZHU (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) per 100 g:
- proteins – 0.6 g;
- fats – 0.3 g;
- carbohydrates – 7.4g.
In energy terms, this looks like 7%, 8%, 85% of the daily value, or 2 kcal, 3 kcal and 30 kcal, respectively. In total, this amounts to 35 kcal, and carbohydrates in melon account for 30 kcal, and only 5 for fats and proteins.
What are the benefits of melon for the human body?
Melon has many beneficial properties:
- strengthens blood vessels, increasing their elasticity;
- fights nervous disorders;
- increases immunity;
- stimulates brain activity;
- normalizes the functioning of the liver and kidneys;
- has diuretic and diaphoretic properties;
- has an antitoxic effect;
- lowers high blood pressure.
This gift of nature is useful for absolutely everyone: both men and women (pregnant women in particular), and children (even the smallest ones).
The benefits of melon for the human body lie not only in its 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.
What are the benefits of melon for a woman’s body?
Melon is good for women because it has anti-aging properties and supports healthy nails, skin and hair. It will relieve insomnia and depression, which has a beneficial effect on the appearance of any representative of the fairer sex.
Melon is useful for pregnant women and women during menopause due to its high content of vitamin B9 (folic acid). And its antidepressant properties will help cope with bad mood and mild nervous disorders that accompany every woman at these stages of life.
The benefits of melon during pregnancy
Melon during pregnancy is very useful, since folic acid deficiency is observed in every second woman. With its deficiency, the body of both the expectant mother and the unformed fetus suffers. If there is a lack of folic acid in the body of a pregnant woman, there is a considerable risk that the child will suffer from various nervous disorders in the future and may even be delayed in mental development.
What are the benefits of melon for men?
The beneficial properties of melon also apply to men.It is famous for its high content of trace elements such as zinc, which improves the quality and quantity of sperm. In addition, this fragrant fruit is a natural aphrodisiac that cleanses the blood and increases potency.
At what age can children have melon?
A baby who is under 12 months old should not 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, melon does not go well with milk, which is the basis of a small person’s diet.
How to eat melon correctly
The pulp of the fruit contains a lot of fiber, so it should be eaten between main meals. It would be ideal to take it 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 cannot be used as a snack when drinking alcoholic beverages - it can lead to loose stools. For the same reason, you should not include melon in milkshakes or wash it down with water.
When asked whether it is possible to eat melon on an empty stomach, nutritionists advise avoiding 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 disorders.
For gastritis
The possibility of eating melon with gastritis depends on the degree of the disease. If gastritis occurs in an acute form, this fruit will have to be discarded. A stomach with inflamed walls begins to intensively produce acid to digest this product, which aggravates the disease, and, in addition, causes fermentation in the intestines.
If gastritis is in a calm form, you can eat this fruit, but in small portions, and only fresh.
For 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, you cannot eat melon, 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, you can gradually try to introduce it into the diet.
For diabetes
The glycemic index of melon is 65: its consumption sharply increases blood sugar levels.
Therefore, for type II diabetes, melon can be included in the diet, but in small quantities (100 - 200g), subject to the complete exclusion of other carbohydrates. For insulin-dependent diabetes, the product can be eaten in reasonable quantities, while strictly controlling blood sugar levels by increasing the dose of insulin.
For stomach ulcers
The presence of melon in the diet for stomach ulcers is undesirable, 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, when it enters the stomach, aggravates the course of the disease and can also cause severe fermentation.
Can I eat melon after gallbladder removal?
After removal of the gallbladder, melon can be introduced into the diet immediately after surgery. Firstly, this unusually healthy fruit, due to its choleretic effect, will flush the bile ducts. Secondly, the presence of vitamin B15 in its composition serves to prevent 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, which is why this fruit is also useful for people suffering from systematic constipation.
Is it possible to eat melon while losing weight?
Due to its low calorie content, the product can be eaten even by people 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 fetus) to help normalize metabolism;
- give a feeling of fullness for a long time, which is facilitated by plant fibers.
However, we should not forget that melon has a fairly high glycemic index, which helps increase appetite, so people who are losing weight are not recommended to eat more than 300 g per day.
Is it possible to eat melon at night?
The myth that melon makes you fat because it is sweet has absolutely no basis. You can only gain weight if you eat it in excessive quantities or combine it with the main meal. If you eat the fruit correctly, it is simply impossible to gain weight.
It has been proven that a slice of melon is beneficial to eat at night. Antioxidants improve the quality of sleep, and fiber, in addition to eliminating the temptation to snack before bed, will absorb harmful substances by the morning and gently remove them 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 using melon during a diet in this way: completely replace one of the meals with this product, eating no more than 300 g. In just 7 days, 3 - 4 kg of excess weight will be lost.
In addition, the product is well suited for mono-diets and fasting days. However, no more than two days of this type of diet are allowed, since the body will begin to experience a deficiency of fats and proteins. With a mono-diet, you should eat 1500 g of melon per day, divided into 6 meals and drinking between them up to 1.5 - 2.0 liters of water or green tea.
If you carry out such fasting days at least once a week for a month, up to 6 kg of weight will be lost irrevocably.
What are the benefits of melon juice?
Melon juice is deservedly considered one of the healthiest. It perfectly quenches thirst 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 protein digestibility.
Benefits of melon juice:
- in cleansing the body of toxins;
- help with inflammation in the renal pelvis;
- removing excess water from the body;
- strengthening the heart muscle and preventing heart attacks;
- eliminating anemia - due to the high iron content;
- prevention of cancer;
- restoration of disorders in 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 recommended to wipe the problem areas with warm juice before going to bed. In a week there will be no trace of acne left.
Due to the high content of potassium and silicon, the juice is used as a remedy for hair loss, brittleness and dryness.After each hair wash, rub the juice into the scalp and leave for 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water. After just a few procedures, the condition of your hair will improve significantly.
Restrictions and contraindications
In addition to its beneficial properties, melon can in some cases cause harm. It should be consumed with extreme caution:
- people with various gastrointestinal problems;
- suffering from diabetes mellitus;
- nursing mothers;
- children under one year of age.
In other cases, this fragrant and sweet fruit only brings health benefits.
It is worth remembering that the abuse of even very healthy 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 accumulate, and therefore there is no need to overeat melon in the summer, trying to stock up on nutrients for the winter. Two hundred to three hundred grams per day will benefit your health; a larger amount can cause long-term intestinal upset.
