Useful properties of melon, composition and nutritional value
The beneficial properties of melon have been talked about since ancient times. Eating it has a beneficial effect on the entire body. It contains a whole complex of vitamins and minerals: A, C, PP, B vitamins, calcium, potassium, etc. The product is used as food for the prevention of various diseases:
- In cold and damp seasons, it is recommended to eat melon to maintain immunity.
- Melon for hypertensive patients serves as a diuretic, as a result of which blood pressure stabilizes.
- For people with a weakened psyche, the product is prescribed as an antidepressant, a cure for insomnia and irritation.
- Melon will serve as a stabilizer for the digestive system, as it contains fiber and natural prebiotics - inulin.
- For asthmatic and bronchial diseases, the pulp of the product is used as a compress on the chest.
- Wounds and bruises will heal faster if melon peels are applied to them.
- The fruit also acts against allergies. To relieve an attack, allergy sufferers are advised to take a warm bath with melon juice.
It turns out that eating the product will help slow down the aging process, smooth the skin, and rejuvenate the body as a whole. The presence of beta-carotene in the composition will help strengthen the hair and make it elastic. Vitamin A is also necessary for the formation of the visual apparatus in a child.
The calorie content of melon may vary depending on the variety. The average will be 30 kcal per 100 grams of product.
What are melon and watermelon: how are they useful?
So, first of all, it is worth reminding those who do not yet know that both watermelon and melon belong specifically to berry crops. Both berries are sweet and tasty, but have different properties.
For example, watermelon is considered a strong natural diuretic. And it is not only possible, but sometimes even necessary, to be eaten by those ladies in a position who have severe swelling and have difficulty removing excess fluid from the body.
There are no contraindications for this berry; there are rather restrictions. If you eat too much watermelon, you may experience intestinal upset, which will cause the expectant mother many hours of discomfort. Therefore, it is worth limiting and giving preference to another berry. So, melon during pregnancy will become a more loyal alternative than watermelon.
Pregnant women can eat berries such as melon. It, in its composition, is a real balanced storehouse of usefulness. And during the period of bearing a child, it is ideal for the female body.
Melon contains:
- a whole complex of vitamins;
- mineral salts;
- two essential acids, such as ascorbic and folic acid.
In addition, this berry also contains several components that are directly involved in the structure of the growing fetus.
This is both potassium and calcium, which are involved in the creation of cartilage and the future skeleton of the child. Magnesium, which helps the nervous system form properly. Melon also contains such important components as iron and phosphorus, which have a beneficial effect on future vision and the overall strength of the child’s body.
The benefit of melon lies in the fact that it contains sodium, fiber, silicon and various pectins. All these components contained in the berry help produce a “happy hormone” in the female body. This means it creates mood stability, reduces stressful situations and their severity of perception. And it evens out the general nervous state of the body systems.
Moreover, the berry helps remove toxins from the body. It stimulates the intestines and peristalsis in particular, keeping the microflora in good shape. And most importantly, it is melon that can give impetus to the production of blood cells. This means whether pregnant women can have melon, we consider the question incorrect.
Is it possible for pregnant women to eat melon? What are the benefits of melon during pregnancy?
Ladies in an interesting situation can not only eat melon, but also need it. The main thing is to remember that there should be moderation in everything. For a pregnant woman, it is useful for the following indicators:
- Metabolism improves due to the rich content of vitamins.
- It is believed that the product promotes the production of the “happiness hormone”. The wonderful mood of a pregnant woman is the key to the health and peace of mind of the unborn baby.
- Stress resistance appears, the functioning of the nervous system improves.
- The risk of constipation and hemorrhoids during pregnancy is reduced.
- The load on the kidneys is reduced by removing excess fluid from the body. Swelling decreases.
The unborn baby takes a lot of nutrients from the mother. Thanks to the presence of silicon in melon, women manage to keep their skin, nails and hair in good condition.
Consuming the product during pregnancy will help reduce excess weight, as a result of which the period of bearing a child in the last stages will be much easier.
Ladies in an interesting position do not always know when to stop eating a particular product. Remember to consult your doctor about diet and nutrition during this period.
The benefits of amber delicacy
If melon was previously considered a fruit or vegetable, now scientists ambiguously say that it is a berry. Surprisingly, you can eat absolutely everything:
- Pulp;
- Crust;
- Seeds.
However, it is advisable for pregnant women to limit themselves to the most edible part - the sugary and aromatic pulp, which contains:
- Folic acid, useful at any stage;
- Beta-carotene, which will take care of the natural beauty of the expectant mother;
- Vitamin B, which maintains healthy and youthful skin;
- Vitamin C, which improves immunity;
- Magnesium, which regulates the nervous system;
- Iron, which plays an important role in the delivery of oxygen to the fetus;
- Potassium, without which the normal functioning of body cells is impossible;
- Fiber, which improves intestinal motility.
We can safely say that melon is a natural cure for stress, to which almost all pregnant women are exposed. In the later stages, the yellow berry will help get rid of:
- Excessive irritability;
- Increased fatigue;
- Fatigue and problems sleeping.
It also contains a unique enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which creates a barrier to free radicals that cause cancer. And endorphins, called “happy hormones,” which improve your mood. Melon is a dietary product, since 100 g of pulp contains only 36 kcal.
Possible harm, contraindications, precautions
There are contraindications for eating any product. And melon is no exception. First of all, you don’t need to overeat so as not to overload your stomach.
You should not eat melon if a pregnant woman has the following diseases:
- Gestational diabetes, which occurs spontaneously during pregnancy.
- Diabetes mellitus diagnosed before pregnancy.
In these cases, eating melon may cause an increase in glucose levels in the body.
- Intestinal disorders and diseases of the stomach, duodenum, gastritis or ulcers.
- Excess weight. Melon increases appetite and contains a lot of sugars (carbohydrates).
It is clear that sometimes it is difficult for a pregnant woman to deny herself anything. In this case, it is allowed to eat melon not often and in small quantities.
Even a completely healthy expectant mother can get harm from eating a sweet fruit. Nowadays, many producers, in order to accelerate the growth and preservation of fruits, pump plants with chemicals - nitrates. Such compounds will negatively affect the body of mother and baby. Therefore, it is safest to buy melon in your region, if it grows there.
Otherwise, you need to cut the core of the melon away from the rind, since all harmful substances are concentrated in and around the rind. Consume the cut pulp in small quantities.
Strict taboo
It is strictly forbidden to eat melon if:
- Diabetes mellitus due to excessive sugar content in the pulp;
- Stomach ulcer and gastritis (meaning both acute and chronic forms of the disease);
- Suspicion of a gastrointestinal infection;
- Liver and kidney diseases in the acute stage;
- Gestose.
If in the 3rd trimester a pregnant woman suffers from constipation or diarrhea, increased gas formation or heartburn, it is better to refuse the treat so as not to aggravate the already uncomfortable condition. You should eat melon with caution if you are obese, after consulting your doctor.
Rules for eating melon during pregnancy
Expectant mothers need to learn several rules for eating melon in order to receive benefits and pleasure without harming themselves and the unborn child.
First of all, you should not eat the product in the morning on an empty stomach. This may cause digestive upset. It is better to eat a few pieces as dessert, one and a half to two hours after eating.
The fruit must be ripe. Green melon is contraindicated for pregnant women.
Melon is not compatible with dairy products and raw water. In general, the product should be eaten separately from any other food.
In this case, you need to know when to stop. Experts recommend that the expectant mother eat no more than 200-300 grams of melon per day.
For women with high blood sugar levels, the norm is different - 50-60 g per day.
Melon jam or jam does not contain vitamins, it only contains sugar, so pregnant women are not recommended to eat such preserves.
Allergic reactions are extremely rare. In this case, the product is completely excluded from the diet.
How and with what to eat melon?
This delicious delicacy should not be eaten in the morning on an empty stomach or when you feel hungry. Melon is great for snacking during pregnancy. So eat it in between meals. Do not mix with other products to avoid digestive upset! It is especially not recommended to use it simultaneously with fermented milk products, cold water and alcohol.
How to choose the right melon
You can choose a ripe melon according to several parameters. A ripe fruit will emit a pleasant aroma from afar, while an unripe fruit will have virtually no odor. If you tap the fruit, a dull sound will be made inside the ripe product. Pay attention to the color. The color should be uniformly yellow without any cracks or damage, and the tail of the melon itself should be dry.
You should buy melon at the end of August. This is the time when the plant is fully mature and growers don't need to pump it full of chemicals. It’s not worth buying fruit cut in half, as it quickly deteriorates, and it’s not clear how long such a half spent on the counter.
Rules for selection and purchase
It’s worth reminding right away that the first melons are always grown with a huge amount of nitrates, so it’s hard to call them healthy. For this reason, it is worth buying at a time when the price of pumpkin is minimal. Usually, “clean” melons can be bought as early as August. Until this moment, you should not purchase a treat.
When choosing melons, people always knock on them. This is done not because “it’s necessary,” but in order to hear a dull sound. If it is not there, it means that the pumpkin is not ripe, and you will not be able to extract all the useful elements and vitamins from it.
Pay attention to the smell. As soon as yellow pumpkins appear in the store, the smell can be heard simply by approaching the room. So, a ripe, high-quality melon must smell good , otherwise it is either green or grown using “chemicals”.
Any damage to the bark or inclusions of green color indicate that it is better not to take such a product.
When purchasing, look at the tail. It should be completely dry, and the place of its attachment should be smooth and light. If there is no tail, and in its place there is a dark spot, then you cannot buy pumpkin.
When there are a lot of products and they are of impressive size, stupid sellers begin to sell the goods in parts, cutting them into halves and packing them in cling film. Buying cut pumpkin is strictly prohibited, since damage to the skin triggers the processes of fermentation and rotting, which is why dangerous microorganisms “settle” in the product.
