One of the most popular summer treats is watermelon. The sweet pulp of the miracle berry is almost water.

Probably, for this we love him, because the watermelon can be attributed to healthy sweets, from which you not only do not get better, but you can even lose weight, also with health benefits. Indeed, watermelon cleanses the body of accumulated toxins and has a low calorie content.

Calorie content and benefits of watermelon

The pulp of the berry has valuable properties. It is recommended to use it in large quantities (about 2 kg per day) for people who know by themselves about such diseases as nephritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis.
Watermelon contains vitamins such as B1, B2, PP, C, carotene, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, calcium. Watermelon is very useful for patients with arthritis, sclerosis, gout.

Watermelon pulp contains - 9% of easily digestible sugars, 0.5% of the most delicate dietary fiberwhich delicately remove cholesterol from the body.

The special value of watermelon pulp is that it contains practically no natural salts. and acids that irritate the urinary system. On the contrary, the alkalis dissolved in it relieve irritation from the foci of inflammation. It is interesting that not only the pulp has a diuretic effect of watermelon, but also dried watermelon peel... The prepared broth can be used as remedy all year round.

The calorie content of watermelon in 100 grams of pulp - according to some sources, ranges from 25 to 30 calories.

Compare it with the calorie content of melon - 60 and the calorie content of grapes - 70.

Watermelon juice has a beneficial effect not only on the kidneys.It is able to dissolve and remove toxins from the liver, both during chronic diseases and with various drug or food poisoning.

Watermelon for pregnant women

Very useful watermelon pulp for pregnant and lactating mothers.In addition to the fact that it has the ability to replenish the loss of fluid in the body, watermelon juice is very useful for anemia. Watermelon refers to safe sweetssince fructose, which is part of it, unlike sucrose, cannot cause diabetes mellitus. At the same time, as already noted, no matter how much you allow yourself this delicacy, you will still not get better!

The only contraindication to the use of an unlimited amount of watermelon is edema in the second half of pregnancy. Women who are familiar with this problem should consume no more than 100-200 grams of watermelon pulp per day.

Who benefits from eating watermelon?

The low calorie content of watermelon makes it effective remedy to fight overweight.

How much watermelon can you eat?

To a healthy person it will be sufficient to consume about 150 grams of watermelon pulp per day. IN medicinal purposes the dose must be increased (1-2 kg).

Avoid combining watermelon with salty foods such as salty fish, crackers, nuts, etc. Salt retains fluid in the body, and the water obtained as a result of drinking watermelon pulp can become an additional burden for a weak heart or provoke edema.

Watermelon diet

The low calorie content of watermelon pulp allows you to include it in the list of dietary foods. One of the most famous watermelon diets is eating watermelon pulp with bread. coarse, ideally - with bran. In such a "duet" bread supplies the body with vital vitamins and minerals, and also improves the elimination of toxins from the body.

You can stick to such a diet for about 2 weeks.It is not necessary to abruptly “leave the diet”. Include all your usual foods gradually. In season, it is very useful to replace a cup of tea or coffee with a glass watermelon juice or a slice of watermelon. If you want to support your body in winter time, you can make watermelon syrup. To do this, wipe the pulp of the watermelon through a sieve. The resulting watermelon liquid must be filtered and evaporated 6-7 times over low heat. The prepared syrup should be rolled into glass jars and use it instead of sugar.

Watermelon masks

Watermelon is widely used in cosmetology. So, watermelon pulp is very nutritious, especially for dry skin. In order to experience its beneficial properties on yourself, mash the pulp with a fork, apply the pulp to the skin for 15-20 minutes. You can freeze watermelon cubes. It is very useful to use them in the winter season, as a tonic for the skin of the face, neck, hands and décolleté.

Adults and children are looking forward to the summer season, this happens because of warm days, rest from everyday affairs. But not only, in the second half of the season, everyone's favorite striped berry with melon appears on store shelves and market stalls. The delicacy has great taste, fills the body with many trace elements and minerals. Naturally, the question arises, how many calories are in a watermelon, whether it will harm the figure.

Nutritionists say that the calorie content of watermelon has a low index, the use of the product will have positive impact to reduce body fat, will help to adjust the figure to the desired standard.

Energy value

Watermelon is included in diets for weight correction due to its low calorie content, high content of vitamins and minerals, which will support the body in this difficult period and will not let you drop your hand halfway to your goal.

A slice of watermelon pulp without a rind has the following calorie content per 100 grams:

• in fresh ─ 27 kcal;
• in canned watermelon ─ 38;
• in pickled watermelon ─ 36, 6.

The fruit is salted for the winter, it turns out pretty spicy dish for true gourmets... How many calories are in a salted watermelon? Energy value is still not high, equal to 27 kcal.

Advice! Do not eat salted, pickled pulp at night. This can cause swelling.

Chemical composition

The melon is 90% water, it includes:

• most B vitamins that have a positive effect on work nervous systemimproving skin condition, strengthening hair, nail plates;
• the immune system is strengthened by vitamin C, which enough in a watermelon;
• help to eliminate depression, normalize sleep, relieve fatigue vitamin PP;
• leader in the content of folic acid, without which the process of hematopoiesis is not possible, it is indispensable for women while carrying a child;
• magnesium normalizes the functioning of the liver and kidneys, eliminates harmful cholesterol, increases the tone of the skin and the whole body, and adds elasticity to the muscles;
• lycopene, an antioxidant that fights cancer at any stage;
• organic acids that stimulate the body's digestive processes.

Watermelon contains easily digestible sugars that make you feel full, glucose and fructose. Their content is approximately 5-13%, depending on the degree of maturity and the variety of the fruit.

Interesting! Seed oil has a high content of vitamin D, which is very important for children.

How many carbohydrates are in a watermelon without the rind? Each 100 g of pulp includes 0.15 g of carbohydrates, 0.61 g of protein, 7.15 g of fat. In pickled, salted form, the indicators are slightly different.

Healing properties

The main effect of watermelon is a diuretic, choleretic effect. Doctors especially recommend using the product during the season for people with the following diseases:

• arthritis, gout, atherosclerosis are much milder;
• bleeding, gallbladder problems, overweight, high pressure normalizes watermelon pulp, helps to improve overall well-being, eliminates the symptoms of exacerbation of certain diseases;
• with regular use natural product can normalize cholesterol levels, remove sand and salt from the kidneys, cleanse the body of toxic deposits that poison it;
• the product is useful for anemia, iron deficiency in the body;
• to improve vision.

Interesting! The content of vitamins in the crusts is much higher than in its pulp. It is because of this that all kinds of pickles from this part of the berry are very popular.

How much watermelon can you eat per day

The norm for an adult who has no contraindications is 2 kilograms of pulp. It will absolutely not affect the figure, in a 1 kg watermelon weighing 380 calories.

For children, the product begins to be introduced into the diet from a year, carefully observing the reaction of the child's body.

Important! Never give your children a watermelon that hit the shelves out of season. The nitrate content there will be very high, which will have a detrimental effect on the growing body.

For kids under 2 years old, it is enough to eat 50 g of pulp, a three-year-old child ─ 100 g, a five-year-old can eat 200 g of watermelon.

Watermelon and weight loss

The product effectively cleanses the body, but is it possible with a diet? In the season when striped berries you can sit a lot on a watermelon diet for several days, it will be difficult to eat for 10 days only.

Two to three watermelon unloading days a week will help remove 3-5 extra pounds. The sugar in the pulp will saturate the body, dull the feeling of hunger when minimum calorie content product. The norm on a fasting day is about 3 kg of pulp without crusts.

For those who cannot last a couple of days on the watermelon itself, there is another diet option:

• breakfast and lunch are lightweight foods that can help you lose weight
• evening meal ─ 600 g of watermelon pulp (no more).

Adhering to this diet for a month, you can lose weight by 5-8 kg. If there are physical exercise, then the maximum you can lose up to 10 kg.

Interesting! Gaining popularity new diet, at which watermelon is eaten with rye bread or croutons.

Eating watermelon, can you get better from it? He is not caloric, on the contrary regular use will significantly reduce the volume of your body, especially on the waist and buttocks. This method of losing weight is not suitable for thosewho have kidney stones suffers from kidney failure.

Is it possible to eat it at night

In the afternoon, it is better to eat watermelon before 18.00, later it is worth limiting the use. Diuretic effect the product will not let you sleep, in the morning you will feel overwhelmed.

At night, you can use the berry for losing weight. Such a dinner is ideal for those who like to eat at night, it will saturate the body after a working day, low calorie content will keep the figure normal.

Advice! Do not combine watermelon with pickles, this will cause swelling.

We found out how high-calorie watermelon is, how it is useful, how you can use it to lose weight and cleanse the body of harmful deposits that prevent us from living.

No one disputes the excellent taste of watermelon, but opinions differ on its other qualities. Someone is haunted by the question whether he is dietary product or is it a useless treat?

Calorie content of watermelon 100 g of pulp is small, but it contains a lot of fructose - it is instantly absorbed, causing appetite. So the watermelon diet is not the best the best way throw off excess weight... There is also no consensus on whether a watermelon is a berry, as we were told at school, or is it a fruit? Botanists attribute it to the pumpkin family (cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, zucchini). The botanical name for their fruit is pumpkin, a false berry. Like a real berry, the watermelon hides the seeds inside the fruit, the skin covers the juicy sweet pulp. Pumpkin is distinguished from berries by a large number of seeds, thick rind and, of course, size.

The birthplace of watermelon is the Namib Desert in South Africa, where the Egyptians discovered it in ancient times. The seeds of the striped fruit have been found in the tombs of the pharaohs. From Egypt they spread both to the East to China, and to the West - to the Roman Empire. In Europe, the juicy pulp of a striped berry was appreciated in the 13th century. after the campaigns of the crusaders, in Russia noble people first feasted on it in the 17th century. The bitter wild-growing ancestor of watermelon - tsamma - still grows in its historical homeland. And his cultural offspring are spread throughout the world.

Variety of varieties

The breeders did a great job and brought a large number of varieties of dessert pumpkin.

• Variety "Astrakhansky" - especially appreciated in Russia, due to its sweet delicate taste... This variety does not appear on the market before September; it ripens only by the end of August.
• Crimson Swift grade - by taste slightly inferior to "Astrakhansky", but ripens early. Unlike the matte crust of its Volga counterpart, Crimson Swift has a shiny bright surface.
• "Chill" is one of the most cold-resistant varieties, its fruits are stored until the New Year.
• The Charleston Gray variety has an unusual zucchini shape, and Japanese breeders have developed a cubic pumpkin.

In Israel, there are watermelons with yellow flesh, varieties with underdeveloped, barely noticeable seeds are bred, which can be eaten with a sweet core.

Growing watermelon in Russia

IN middle lane Russia does not have as much warmth and sun as in Brazil, Spain or Iran, from where striped fruits are imported to us in early summer. Our country, however, ranks 7th in the production of sweet melons. Traditional growing areas: Southern Volga region, Stavropol region, Krasnodar region, - watermelons appear on the market in September. At the dachas of the Moscow region in warm summer you can grow small but sweet varieties "Sugar baby", "Ogonyok".

Nutritional and energy value

KBJU watermelon allows you to use it in weight loss diets. The energy value of the product depends on the amount that a person eats per day, the maximum daily dose is 2 kg of fresh pulp without a crust.

Table: Calorie content of various servings of watermelon

It is important for those who lose weight to consider how many calories are in a watermelon, but we must not forget about its nutritional composition:

• proteins - 0.6 g / 100 g;
• fats - 0.1 g / 100 g;
• carbohydrates - 5.8 g / 100 g;
• water - 89-92 g / 100 g;
• fiber - 0.4 g / 100 g.

Basically, pumpkin consists of water, so eating more than 2 kg of it per day means putting a lot of stress on the kidneys. However, a couple of slices at night will not hurt. During sleep, the body gets rid of toxins, this process requires water. Juicy slices with minimum amount kilocalories will be an excellent supplier of it.

Watermelon and weight loss

BJU watermelon limits its use in mono-diets: it can give the body only 3 g of fat per day, and this will slow down the production of estrogen and disrupt a woman's menstrual cycle. Hormonal disruptions are difficult to recover. And the benefits of such diets are questionable: carbohydrates in watermelon are represented by simple saccharides, they are instantly converted into glucose, insulin is released, which transports it to fat fibers in reserve. And a person has an appetite and an irresistible desire to eat something high in calories. However, you can use the diuretic property of watermelon pulp, rid yourself of 2-3 kilograms of excess liquid and toxins.

Mineral composition and useful properties

There is every reason to call a watermelon a "great healer":

• Recent studies have shown that he real champion in terms of lycopene content, even tomatoes are ahead of this indicator. The beneficial effect of lycopene in protecting the prostate gland from cancer has been proven. Lycopene prevents development cardiovascular disease, cataracts.
• The high content of vitamin A strengthens the retina and improves vision.
• The diuretic effect makes the sweet pulp a good way to cleanse the body of poisons and salts. The alkaline environment of watermelon liquid is able to dissolve sand and small stones in the kidney. It is dangerous for people with large kidney and gall bladder stones to eat a lot of watermelon pulp - this will cause movement of stones and severe colic.
• Due to the content of the amino acid L-citrulline, watermelon is one of the better meanslowering pressure.
• Watermelon fiber removes cholesterol, so it is good for those who suffer from gout, atherosclerosis.

An excerpt from the program "On the most important thing", starting at 13 minutes 40 seconds, will provide a lot of instructive information about the benefits and dangers of a juicy product.

Watermelon harm

The same properties of a juicy fruit can be beneficial and harmful, it all depends on the amount of product consumed and the state of human health. A lot of watermelon is harmful to use when diabetes mellitus, kidney disease. Fruits bought in early summer almost certainly contain nitrates.

You can check the product for hazardous substances using home methods:

• Put the purchased watermelon in a bath of water - if it drowns, it means that it contains a lot of nitrates.
• Place a piece of pulp in a glass of water - intense coloration of the liquid is a sign of a high content of nitrogen salts.

How to choose the right striped fruit

Some people make a distinction between a male and a female instance. In the first, the dark bottom (the place opposite to the peduncle) is neatly pulled inward, while in female fetus it spreads as a light spot over the crust. But this does not prove that the fruit with a light bottom will be tastier than its male counterpart.

The rules for choosing a ripe pumpkin are as follows:

• beaten, cracked fruits are rejected unambiguously;
• sound when tapped ripe watermelon voiced, not deaf;
• when squeezed ripe fruit slightly crunches.
• when buying, it is better to avoid collapses along the roadsides (perhaps they trade there without a certificate);
• suspicious places where fruits are heaped different sizes, varieties and degree of ripeness.

How to cut a watermelon

An elegant and ceremonial way to serve sweet pumpkin to festive table requires complete cleaning of the crust. Then the sweet pulp is cut into small portions so that it can be eaten right away and not dripped, served to guests with special forks. In a relaxed friendly atmosphere round watermelon it is better to cut into slices in strips from top to bottom (after cutting off the bottom and top). It is more convenient to split tall cylindrical fruits in half and cut into transverse slices.

Culinary processing

The most best use watermelon - fresh for dessert, containing a small amount of calories. There are ways culinary processing striped berries: pickling, salting, making watermelon honey. The crusts that are usually thrown away can be used to make candied fruits and marmalade.

Watermelon is sweet summer berry, which not only perfectly quenches thirst, but also provides incredible benefit for the whole organism. The fact is that its juicy pulp contains great amount nutrientsand the low calorie content allows him to participate in the program of many aimed at combating excess weight diets. The topic of our article will be the calories contained in a watermelon and how many grams per day this juicy and sweet berry needs for our body.

The calorie content of watermelon is quite low - 100 grams of its pulp contains only 27 kcal, and 100 grams of watermelon juice contains no more than 38 kcal. 90% of this melon culture consists of water, the remaining 10% is:

• Vitamins of group B, C and PP;
• Folic acid;
• Magnesium;
• Lycopene;
• Organic acids;
• Highly digestible sugars.

B vitamins effectively support the functioning of our nervous system and are responsible for the beauty and health of hair, skin and nails, vitamin C perfectly strengthens the immune system. Folic acid regulates the process of hematopoiesis in our body; watermelon contains much more of it than, for example, melon or such a culture. Magnesium excretes "bad" cholesterol, and lycopene is a powerful antioxidant.

The nutritional value of watermelon and melon consists in the content of all the above micro- and macroelements, as well as in a huge amount of water, which activates the production of urine and bile, which effectively cleanses our body.

The low calorie content allows all those who are actively fighting overweight to include watermelon in their diet.

Rules and norms of consumption

Despite the low calorie content (in one hundred grams, only 27 kcal) and a huge amount useful properties, in the use of watermelons should also be a measure. How many grams of it can be used fearlessly depends on general condition organism. According to nutritionists, the maximum allowable intake of its juicy pulp, like melon, is 2 kg per day (taking into account 27 kcal at the rate of one hundred grams). Concerning acceptable standards for children, then until one year old it will be more correct not to give a watermelon at all, and after the baby celebrates its first one-year anniversary, enjoy this sweet berry quite possible, but only in the absence of nitrates in it. As for the norms of how much they can be given it, they will be as follows:

• From 1 to 2 years - no more than 50 grams of pulp per day;
• From 2 years to 3 years - maximum 100 grams of pulp;
• Over 3 years old - 150 gr will be enough;
• Expectant mothers - no more than 500 gr.

A useful treat for children

How much of it you can safely use depends on the general condition of the body

Out of season, as well as extraordinary yellow, black and square watermelons and melons should not be eaten by children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, the elderly, no matter how tempting their advertising is.

The benefits of watermelon and melon in weight loss are obvious. They suppress hunger for a long time, help to remove excess fluid from the body, and perfectly cleanse the intestines. It will be completely safe for health once a week, in summer season arrange a fasting day for yourself, eating only watermelons. Thus, you can quickly lose weight and regain your former volumes. It is only important that no more than 3 kg of pulp be eaten that day, as much is needed for saturation, despite its low calorie content.

As for the newfangled watermelon diets, when for a long time they eat only their pulp, black bread and rye croutonsthen it can cause increased gas production, flatulence and bloating.

Before deciding to use it in weight loss, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

In order to overuse watermelons did not harm health, you need to adhere following rulesthat will be relevant in matters of diets:

1. A mono watermelon diet overloads the kidneys, so it is undesirable to eat watermelons for several days.
2. You should make sure there are no contraindications before eating them.

It is undesirable to eat only watermelons for several days.

Fast weight loss no need to wait from such a diet

You do not need to expect rapid weight loss from such a diet. But when they are consumed, the body is guaranteed to throw off a few kg, cleanse itself of toxins, and its reserves will again be filled with vitamins and other useful substances.

Contraindications

As already mentioned above, watermelon has its own contraindications for use. It:

• violations of the outflow of urine;
• diarrhea;
• pyelonephritis;
• intestinal inflammation;
• kidney stone disease;
• severe diseases of the pancreas and prostate.

In general, the watermelon, with the right choice and moderate consumption has a general cleansing and healing effect on the body, and also replenishes its reserves in useful microelements and vitamins. How many grams of its pulp and pulp ripe melon can be eaten per day, depending on overall health.

Already in late spring, we begin to wait for the fresh harvest of watermelons to enjoy its sugar pulp and fresh aroma. But is it possible for those who are losing weight to get carried away with a juicy delicacy uncontrollably? And what are the benefits and calories of watermelon per 100 grams?

The nutritional value

To find out how high the calorie content of a watermelon is, let's analyze its composition. He will just tell us about the benefits of the product and safety for losing weight. This close attention to watermelon nutrients reveals the following facts:

1. Water is one-ninth of the fruit.
2. It is completely free of fat and cholesterol.
3. In 100 grams fruit pulp contains 0.6 g of proteins and 7.5 carbohydrates, most of which are simple carbohydrates (6.2 g) and fiber (0.4 g).
4. The sweet taste is due to the presence of sucrose (1.21 g), glucose (1.58 g) and fructose (3.36 g).
5. The berry contains minerals:
6. Watermelon is a source of vitamins:

• iron - 1.3% of a person's need per day;
• magnesium - 2.5%;
• phosphorus - 1.1%;
• potassium - 2.4%;
• calcium - 0.7%.

Benefit

Thus, watermelon pulp contains a lot of potassium, vitamins A and C. Therefore, the fruit is recommended for diseases of the kidneys, liver, stomach, heart and blood vessels... It stimulates digestion, prevents oncological diseases... It is known to effectively remove toxins and cholesterol plaques, and has a beneficial effect on skin and hair. It is a strong antioxidant and strengthens the immune system. But the abundance of sugar violates this unconditional usefulness. How will it affect the calorie content of watermelon?

Is it possible or not to lose weight?

It's time to reveal the intrigue and tell how much one watermelon calorie “weighs”. It is believed that the calorie content of the product is low. The popular opinion about his beneficial influence two facts contribute to the figure:

• removes excess fluid;
• suppresses hunger.

Plus, in fact, it is low in calories - 100 grams contains only 25 kcal.

But your long-awaited meeting with a fruit is not limited to a small piece. Let's calculate the calorie content of the entire fruit, average weight which is 5-6 kg. It turns out that it contains 1250-1500 kcal. Almost all of our diet.

So much contains fresh fruit... In the canned analogue, there are already 36.5 kcal, in the juice - 38 kcal. You will be shocked to learn how high in calories watermelon seeds are. They contain 557 calories. A controversial issue about the low-calorie watermelon, right? And he doesn’t quench his appetite for a long time. What do nutritionists say?

Nutritionists recommend eating watermelon, the calorie content of which is quite high during weight loss, under strict control... If you really want to taste the fragrant pulp, follow the tips:

1. Eat it separately without adding extra calories additional food.
2. Use for fasting days... But it should only be one day. To dull hunger during the day, divide whole fruit for 5-6 receptions.

A weekly watermelon diet sounds intimidating. Such harsh diets are highly prohibited by nutritionists, because they are very stressful for the body.

1. If you have chosen a watermelon for a snack, then choose the middle between the two main meals.
2. The daily dose of the fruit should not exceed 2-2.5 kg.
3. When losing weight in the evening, you can eat only a small piece.

A healthy, low-calorie watermelon is not a myth. Its benefits have been proven. Only for dieters there are small restrictions, under which the fruit will become your assistant on the thorny path to a dream figure.