Watermelon & Diabetes: A Healthy Snack or a Sugar Bomb?

There’s generally nothing higher than a refreshing slice of watermelon, particularly on a scorching afternoon. 

The fruit is just about ubiquitous at household meals, BBQs, and social gatherings within the summertime, and is grown worldwide. Actually, there are over 1,000 completely different sorts of watermelon! 

However what makes for a enjoyable, refreshing snack for most individuals can have blood sugar penalties for folks dwelling with diabetes. 

This text will define the professionals and cons of consuming watermelon for folks dwelling with diabetes and the way (and if!) you must incorporate this fruit into your life and each day weight loss program. 

What are the well being advantages of consuming watermelon?

Consuming watermelon can have many advantages. Beneath are the well being advantages to recurrently consuming this pink, candy fruit. 

Filled with nutritional vitamins and minerals

Watermelon comprises a wide range of nutritional vitamins and minerals, together with potassium, magnesium, and nutritional vitamins A and C. It additionally has few energy for being a fruit, with solely 46 energy per cup. 

It’s also extraordinarily straightforward to bolus insulin for, as a cup of watermelon solely has 11.5 carbohydrates. 

The intense pink colour signifies it’s a wealthy supply of antioxidants like carotenoids, lycopene, and cucurbitacin E that aren’t solely good for you, however make you are feeling good, too! 

Could relieve muscle soreness and enhance train efficiency

Watermelon additionally comprises citrulline, an amino acid that will assist enhance train efficiency in athletes. Supplementing with citrulline can even assist cut back muscle soreness in individuals who train. 

The way it works is that this compound helps to develop blood vessels, relieving the center of additional exertion to pump blood all through the physique, thus enhancing train efficiency and restoration. 

Watermelon is nice as a result of it offers not solely citrulline, but additionally much-needed hydration throughout train. 

One examine gave three teams completely different concoctions: one with simply watermelon juice, one other with watermelon juice supplemented with further citrulline, and a management drink. Each drinks that had watermelon juice in them skilled improved muscle soreness after train and improved coronary heart price restoration than the group that had the management drink. 

Watermelon will also be good for folks with diabetes, who when exercising, could require a low blood sugar snack. Watermelon offers simply sufficient carbohydrates to assist deal with the low blood sugar, with out overdoing it on the carbohydrates or sugar. 

Plus, it’s a pure supply of vitality, with no added substances or chemical compounds. 

Could enhance pores and skin well being 

The nutritional vitamins present in watermelon are vital for the well being and upkeep of your pores and skin. Vitamin C, when both eaten, drank, or utilized topically, helps the physique produce collagen, a protein that retains hair sturdy and pores and skin youthful and supple. 

One examine discovered the next consumption of Vitamin C was correlated with a decrease probability of growing dry pores and skin and wrinkles. Greatest but, one serving of watermelon comprises 14% of your each day really useful consumption of Vitamin C! 

Vitamin A can also be crucial for pores and skin well being, because it helps to restore broken pores and skin cells and create new ones. It additionally promotes wound therapeutic. 

One serving of watermelon comprises 5% of your each day really useful consumption of this vitamin. 

Could help in digestion 

Along with its plethora of nutritional vitamins, minerals, and wholesome antioxidants, watermelon comprises 0.6 grams of fiber per serving, which is important for wholesome digestion. 

Water and fiber assist meals transfer by the bowels extra simply, and together with loads of wholesome vegatables and fruits in your weight loss program can stop diarrhea, constipation, and points with digestion. 

Consuming fiber usually can preserve your bowel actions common, too. 

One examine discovered that individuals who had low fluid and low fiber consumption have been extra prone to undergo from constipation. All of the extra motive to incorporate watermelon in your weight loss program! 

One other examine discovered that consuming watermelon was correlated with weight reduction and emotions of satiety, which is a welcome signal for anybody trying to shed pounds! 

The downsides of consuming watermelon

Consuming watermelon may have some downsides, particularly if in case you have diabetes. Beneath are a number of the causes chances are you’ll select to keep away from this fruit. 

Watermelon is generally carbohydrates 

Though this candy fruit offers a supply of a wide range of nutritional vitamins and minerals, there are not any different macronutrients of be aware: watermelon is generally carbohydrates, with no protein or fats. 

This may make it a difficult meals to eat if in case you have diabetes as a result of meals which are solely carbohydrates are likely to spike blood sugars quicker. 

Actually, watermelon has a glycemic index (GI) of 80, however as a result of the carbohydrates are fairly low for a fruit, the glycemic load is just 5. 

Pairing watermelon with a fatty or protein-rich aspect will help curb the short rise in blood sugar that you could be see when consuming the fruit. 

It isn’t very filling 

Watermelon is so scrumptious, however it isn’t a really filling snack. This may lead folks to overeat it fairly recurrently. Remember that a serving dimension of watermelon is one cup, which is equal to a one-inch-thick slice of a typical melon. 

Nevertheless, folks have a tendency to return to seconds and thirds, as a result of the fruit is over 90% water! 

Whereas one serving has 11 grams of carbohydrates, having 3 or extra servings can flip this deal with right into a high-carbohydrate, high-calorie dessert fairly rapidly. 

It could trigger cardiovascular issues

Individuals who undergo from critical hyperkalemia (excessive potassium ranges) shouldn’t eat a couple of cup of watermelon per day. 

Potassium is essential for sustaining electrolyte perform within the physique, retaining muscle tissue and bones sturdy, and for coronary heart well being. 

Nevertheless, if you have already got excessive potassium ranges, consuming watermelon may cause an overabundance of potassium within the blood, inflicting a weak pulse price, irregular heartbeats, and different cardiovascular issues.

Abstract 

Watermelon is a candy, ubiquitous, low cost, and plentiful fruit that’s an especially standard snack, aspect dish, and dessert to get pleasure from on a scorching day. 

It comprises a wide range of useful nutritional vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, and is low in each energy and carbohydrates. It may possibly contribute each to digestive and pores and skin well being and will contribute to enhanced athletic efficiency and decreased muscle soreness when loved carefully.

Nevertheless, for folks with diabetes, portion management and meals pairing is essential, as watermelon offers solely carbohydrate with little fiber and no protein or fats. 

It’s best eaten when paired with each protein and fats, because it doesn’t include these macronutrients that curb blood sugar spikes. Bolusing insulin for watermelon could also be troublesome, however with cautious carbohydrate counting and measuring with portion management, it’s manageable. 

Moreover, it’s not too filling, so consuming a number of servings is one thing somebody with diabetes needs to be cognizant of. 

As a high-potassium fruit, folks with excessive blood ranges of potassium ought to seek the advice of their doctor earlier than having fun with watermelon. Extreme dietary potassium in these with excessive blood potassium ranges can have detrimental well being penalties resembling coronary heart palpitations and weak pulse. Seek the advice of together with your private doctor or dietitian earlier than including watermelon to your plate. 

As with most fruits, moderation is essential! 

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