Sinking your teeth in a cool, juicy, red piece of watermelon is a heavenly delight during a hot summer afternoon. During summer, we all love to eat melons. However, amidst the scorching heat, we forget to put a limit to how much watermelon we must eat. Also, it is important to eat it at the right time.
You may have heard and read a lot about the health benefits of watermelon, but do you know about its side effects? Yes, watermelon does produce side effects, if you eat too much and if you eat it at the wrong time.
Common side effects of watermelon
1. Watermelon can lead to diarrhea and other digestive troubles
Watermelon is a splendid source of dietary fiber and water. But, if you eat too much watermelon, it can cause bloating, gas, flatulence, diarrhea, and other such stomach troubles. This is majorly due to the presence of sorbitol, which is a sugar compound, and lycopene, which gives the fruit its bright red color. Both substances promote gas problems and loose stools.
2.Watermelon can increase blood sugar level
Diabetics must not eat too much watermelon, as it can raise blood sugar levels due to high glycemic index – 72. If you are diabetic, please consult a doctor before you eat watermelon daily.
3. Watermelon can increase risk of liver inflammation
Do you drink alcohol daily? If yes, you must not eat too much of watermelon. Lycopene in this fruit can react with alcohol, increasing the chances of liver inflammation.
If we look at the perspective of health, it is better to eat watermelon than consume alcohol. So, why not stop having alcohol everyday and start eating a few pieces of watermelon?
4. Watermelon can cause water intoxication
Water intoxication, also called over hydration, happens when the body features excess level of water. This can cause loss of sodium from the body. Watermelon is made up of more than 95% water. So, if you are already having 2-3 liters of fluids a day, you must not eat watermelon much. Or you may balance the fluid intake by drinking less fluid the day you have an extra piece of watermelon.
However, doctor advise against the intake of too much watermelon daily, as it can lead to overhydration. Summers are hot and people naturally drink water and other fluids in large amounts. So, there is a risk of over hydration.
If the excess water is not removed from the body, it can increase volume of blood. This, in turn, can cause exhaustion, swelling in legs, weak kidneys, and other such problems.
5.Watermelon can cause cardiovascular troubles
Watermelon contains potassium in large amount. Potassium is useful for maintaining electrolyte function in our body, for keeping muscles and bones strong, and for keeping heart healthy. However, if you eat too many pieces of watermelon daily, you can give your body an excess of potassium, which can lead to weak pulse rate, irregular heartbeats, and other such problems.
Recommended intake of watermelon per day
According to doctors, about 100 g of watermelon gives 30 calories. Due to its low calorie content, it is a great food for people who are trying to lose weight quickly without exercise. Also, it is light, so it is easy to overeat it, especially when you are thirsty and feeling hot.
But, don’t forget that watermelon has sugar too. About 100 g of watermelon gives 6 g of sugar. The recommended intake of sugar per day is no more than 100-150 g from all the food. So, you must be careful because watermelon can give you sufficient amount of sugar.
Why you must not eat watermelon at night
Ayurveda does not recommend eating watermelon or any other fruit at night after 7 pm. This is because consuming fruits at night can lead to constipation or diarrhea the next morning. Also, due to high sugar content, eating watermelon at night can make you gain weight fast. The fruit is not friendly to the digestive system when taken at night and can cause irritable bowel syndrome. Our digestive system is sluggish at night, so avoid eating acidic and sugary foods.
The best time to eat watermelon is during the day, preferably before noon when the digestive system is active and raring to go. There are many other surprising things about watermelon.
