Watermelon - health benefits and harms when eaten all year round

During pregnancy, the body needs additional food and nutrients. To take special care of your unborn child, doctors recommend eating as much fresh fruit as possible.

Photo: Depositphotos.com. Author: Tihon6.

Watermelons are good helpers for pregnant women in terms of hydrating the body and supplying the vitamins necessary for the expectant mother.

Eating ripe watermelons can relieve some of the side effects such as muscle cramps, morning sickness and leg swelling. It turns out that you can eat watermelon during pregnancy.

Is it possible to eat watermelon with gastritis, in what quantity?

Watermelon with gastritis due to its composition is unable to seriously influence the level of acidity, but excessive consumption of watermelon, filling the stomach, stretches its walls, injuring the diseased organ. Excessive consumption of watermelons can provoke another exacerbation of gastritis. Therefore, you need to observe the measure.

But even with inflammation of the gastric mucosa, patients are allowed to eat this product without abusing it.

When consuming vitamins B, A, E contained in the berry, tissue regeneration is accelerated and the body recovers faster.

With a disease such as gastritis, eating watermelons in quantities of a kilogram or more can provoke severity and pain. The optimal amount of consumption is 2-3 pieces every day. In this case, your body will recover faster and you will cleanse yourself of toxins. Watermelon contains a large amount of antioxidants and has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Patients with gastritis with high acidity can also take a small amount of the berry.

Healthy foods

The list of permitted foods that can be safely consumed for heartburn is very diverse:

  • sweet fruits, berries and melons (pears, melons and watermelons, bananas, apricots, ripe strawberries, sweet apples);
  • dried fruits in limited quantities - prunes, dates and dried apricots;
  • boiled or steamed lean meats (chicken, beef, turkey);
  • boiled lean fish;
  • soft-boiled eggs or steamed omelet;
  • low-fat broths, puree soups and first vegetable dishes;
  • boiled or stewed, as well as fresh vegetables (potatoes, carrots and cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli, green peas);
  • parsley and dill;
  • porridge with water or milk (rice, buckwheat);
  • rosehip decoction, still water, sweet juices and drinks diluted with water;
  • sunflower, olive oil, as well as low-fat unsalted butter;
  • yesterday's wheat bread, lean buns and crackers, dry biscuit.

When considering permission to consume melons, it is worth noting that melon is a light dietary product that helps in the digestion of fatty, high-calorie foods. However, in combination with certain dishes, it can also cause heartburn.

Berry belongs to a rather capricious class of products. Melon should not be consumed simultaneously with milk or alcohol. This tandem provokes a disorder of intestinal motility, causing the release of semi-digested products into the esophagus.

Ideally, this product should be consumed half an hour before a meal or no less than 30 minutes after it. It is contraindicated for people of a certain group:

  • diabetics;
  • nursing mothers;
  • persons with gastritis and ulcerative pathology.

Failure to comply with the necessary conditions for consuming melon can provoke not only heartburn and pain, but also other unpleasant symptoms.

Watermelon for ulcers, heartburn and other gastrointestinal diseases

Patients with stomach ulcers are not allowed to eat watermelon. This is due to the fact that it contains coarse fiber and causes excessive secretion of gastric juice, which aggravates the disease. During remission, you can include some fresh watermelon in the menu, but do not eat it on an empty stomach.

We all know about the discomfort that occurs with heartburn. Nausea, burning sensation, and sour belching appear due to overeating, smoking, and late dinner. In addition, the cause of the disease is strong tea, coffee, alcohol, and citrus fruits.

Watermelon is just the product that will help cope with heartburn. It contains alkaline acids that neutralize excess acids in the stomach. It has juicy pulp and is rich in vitamins B, C, A, E.

To prepare the drink, squeeze the berry slices; the squeezed juice is consumed in small portions. Heartburn will pass, but we recommend that you reconsider your menu if it appears frequently.

The benefits of watermelon seeds and peel

Watermelons, as well as Cantaloupe melon, grow well in our latitude. Therefore, you can grow them at your own dacha. Their beneficial properties for our health are not limited to juicy and sweet pulp alone. After allergies have been ruled out, watermelon seeds are used:

  • For the prevention of kidney diseases;
  • For cholecystitis and pyelonephritis;
  • To relieve inflammation, including cystitis, pyelonephritis and gout.

A face mask is also prepared from the seeds, the benefits of which are immediately visible.

Heartburn also goes away after them. The high temperature is quickly reduced by watermelon milk, for the preparation of which seeds are also used.

A face mask is also prepared from the seeds, the benefits of which are immediately visible. They are mixed with any vegetable oil, honey or cosmetic clay, after which the rejuvenating face mask will be ready.

Watermelon rind, like the seeds, has been used in folk medicine for a very long time. Its healing substances treat:

  • Headache;
  • Colitis;
  • Diseased kidneys;

Nowadays, watermelons can be eaten all year round.

As an additional therapy, they are used for cystitis, gout, cholecystitis and pyelonephritis.

The benefits of watermelon for the health of our body are obvious, but sometimes consuming it, including at night, can cause harm. But the stomach and abdomen do not hurt after it, just like the kidneys, there is no heartburn either. Allergies appear extremely rarely.

Watermelon for gastritis for pregnant, lactating women, children

The beneficial properties of this berry have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, improve intestinal microflora, and help cope with constipation. Watermelon pulp contains fiber that lowers cholesterol levels. Thanks to the juice of the miracle berry, the liver and kidneys are cleansed of sand and toxins.

Pregnant women with gastritis not only can, but also need to consume watermelon in moderation. The berries contain folic acid and iron, which helps with anemia and other ailments. Eating watermelon has a great effect on the appearance of the expectant mother.

If you are a pregnant or nursing mother, keep in mind that watermelon holds the record for the ability to accumulate nitrates. Excess nitrates pass into breast milk. Tried and pure watermelon is an important product for breastfeeding. But a nursing woman should include it in the menu, taking precautions. Be sure to choose berries from a retail outlet you trust. If you are not sure of the quality of the product, it is better not to rely on it.

Preventing Preeclampsia

Researchers who published their findings in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics in 2003 claim that pregnant women's consumption of plant foods with high concentrations of lycopene (watermelon being one of them) reduces the risk of developing preeclampsia (hypertension in pregnant women) by 50%.

This is a rather serious disease that can negatively affect the health of the mother and baby. High doses of lycopene to some extent guarantee timely growth and proper intrauterine development of the fetus.

Impressed? Want to know what other vegetables and fruits are high in lycopene? Please! These are tomatoes, grapefruit, melons and guavas, which get their bright red color from lycopene.

Children with gastritis

Children with gastritis and other diseases should eat ripe berries with caution. First of all, watermelons stuffed with various harmful components can provoke poisoning and other consequences. They are also a strong diuretic, which can become a real test for a child’s body. To make food a joy, it is recommended to follow the portions recommended by doctors:

  1. You can give watermelon to your baby for the first time only after 12 months.
  2. For children under 2 years old, give no more than 50 grams of watermelon pulp.
  3. From 2 to 3 years old, doctors advise giving your baby up to 100 grams of ripe berries.
  4. At the age of 3 to 5 years, the daily intake can be increased to 150 grams.

If your child, in addition to stomach diseases, has been diagnosed with a disease related to the kidneys and bladder, consult a doctor about eating watermelon!

Prohibited Products

If you have heartburn, you should also remember those foods and dishes that increase the unpleasant sensation. These include:

  • rich meat, fish or mushroom broths, soups, borscht, okroshka;
  • fatty meat and fish;
  • raw vegetables with a high percentage of fiber content (beets);
  • sour varieties of fruits, vegetables and berries (lime, lemon, tomatoes and others);
  • fried foods (fast food, barbecue, French fries, steaks);
  • smoked meats and semi-finished products;
  • salty and spicy foods;
  • carbonated drinks and alcohol;
  • marinades;
  • coffee, strong tea, cocoa, dark chocolate;
  • juices from cranberries, oranges, tomatoes;
  • pepper, raw onion, horseradish, vinegar, mustard, mint, radish, radish, lemon balm;
  • chips, synthetic snacks;
  • fatty varieties of cottage cheese, milk, cocktails, ice cream, hard cheeses;
  • yeast baked goods (donuts, bread, sweet buns, cookies with cream);
  • beer and kvass.

Having useful information, you can alleviate your condition and prevent heartburn. However, if such discomfort has already appeared, and you cannot get rid of it for a long time, it is important to know which foods for heartburn quickly help eliminate it.

Contraindications

Watermelon does not have many contraindications. You should refuse it if:

  • The outflow of urine is impaired.
  • You have colitis and diarrhea.
  • There are kidney stones larger than 4 mm.
  • Reduced kidney function.

Doctors advise people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and problems with urine flow to use the product with caution.

If you are pregnant, you should not abuse the berry. In the last stage of pregnancy, watermelon can lead to discomfort and frequent urination. Pregnant women should not eat it if they experience flatulence, increased gas formation, or kidney stones. It is also not recommended to eat berries together with other foods. After eating, wait at least 2 hours. Eating sweet berries with bread can cause heaviness and discomfort in the epigastrium.

“Everything is good in moderation” - this postulate particularly accurately expresses the characteristics of watermelon consumption for gastritis. With this disease, it is recommended to limit eating watermelon to a few pieces daily. Since nitrates pose a health hazard, choose your berries carefully, and if you are not sure of the quality of the product, then do not rely on it. Be healthy, eat tasty and healthy!

Causes of heartburn

Heartburn is a result of weakening of the valve located between organs such as the stomach and esophagus, as a result of which the consumed food from the stomach is thrown back into the pharynx.

The sensations that occur at this moment are called heartburn.

Some people have a weakened sphincter from birth, so the reflux of food into the esophagus appears quite early.

The valve between the stomach and esophagus can weaken as a result of:

  • frequent consumption of acidic foods (tomatoes or citrus fruits);
  • alcohol abuse;
  • smoking;
  • diabetes mellitus or bronchial asthma;
  • hiatal hernia;
  • obesity;
  • pregnancy.

It often happens that an unpleasant taste in the mouth appears after eating certain foods or certain ways of processing them.

For example, heartburn often occurs after eating fried, spicy or fatty foods.

To prevent the appearance of an unpleasant symptom, you should refuse or limit the consumption of certain foods, switching to a more gentle diet.

Treatment with watermelon

Watermelon will be useful not only for gastritis, but also for stomach ulcers. A healing drink that accelerates mucosal regeneration processes is prepared from berry peels. Ingredients:

  • washed watermelon rinds;
  • boiling water – 1 l.

The peels must be dried and ground to a powder. Take 5 tbsp per liter of boiling water. l. product. The resulting mixture must be boiled at a minimum boil and constant stirring for half an hour. Then close the lid and wrap in a warm towel, leaving for an hour. Before use, filter the drink and drink 1 glass before meals.

Since split meals up to 6 times a day are recommended for gastritis, during the day the patient should drink at least 6 glasses of a drink made from dry watermelon rinds.

In order not to cause additional harm to the stomach, you need to know how to choose a safe striped berry.

There are some useful tips:

These simple tips will help you choose a naturally ripened watermelon. Such a berry will not cause harm to the stomach and can be safely included in the menu.

The healing properties of watermelon + the pregnant body

A woman during pregnancy should treat watermelon not as a sweet, tasty fruit, but as a medicine that she needs for the full development of the intrauterine fetus. Like all medicines, eating vegetable berries for a pregnant woman has its own dosage and limitations.

Pregnant women should not get too carried away with the melon culture, since the pros and cons of watermelon therapy can quickly change places. A pregnant woman is already prone to frequent urination, and eating watermelon will only increase the frequency of these urges, causing internal discomfort.

However, you shouldn’t completely give up sweet medicine without good reason. You need to know moderation in everything, and then the natural product will not be at all dangerous to the health of the mother and her baby.

As for the lactation period, it is necessary to adhere to the same rules as during pregnancy. If you eat watermelon daily in small portions, you will get much more milk, which means the feeding period will last longer.

Useful properties of watermelon in cosmetology

Sweet berries are not always used only as a food product. Recently, watermelon has been used in cosmetology as a natural beauty product.

To take advantage of nature’s gift and improve the condition of your facial skin, make a simple watermelon mask that you can make with your own hands in a matter of minutes.

Watermelon: beneficial properties for skin

A mask made from watermelon juice is especially beneficial for the skin. It not only refreshes it, but also tones, moisturizes, and most importantly, gives it a healthy and attractive appearance.

Improving the color and condition of your skin is simple:

  1. squeeze some juice out of the watermelon;
  2. fold the gauze into 5 layers, then lower it into a container with freshly squeezed watermelon juice;
  3. apply moistened gauze to a previously cleaned face, and do not remove it for 15-20 minutes;
  4. After a quarter of an hour, remove the mask, wash with warm water and lubricate your face with cream.

If no allergic reactions occur, then you can make this mask every day until the watermelon season ends. After just a few treatments, the skin will look fresher and younger.

Ways to quickly eliminate heartburn

There are many useful recipes that can help relieve burning:

  1. Grated carrots, which should be chewed slowly, will soothe the stomach - this will give a good effect.
  2. Oatmeal cooked in water will help extinguish the flame in the esophagus.
  3. A banana eaten after breakfast will help get rid of discomfort, as it will remove excess gastric juice.
  4. Fresh juice from red potato varieties will help solve the problem. You need to consume it in a course - a quarter glass three times a day before meals. Taking juice on an empty stomach shows good results. In this case, it is recommended to eat food only an hour after taking the healing drink.
  5. Fresh crushed ginger in the amount of 4 g per day.
  6. Warm low-fat milk, consumed in small sips. But you can also use kefir - doctors and nutritionists say that this fermented milk product is the most effective against heartburn.
  7. Plain water quickly relieves burning sensations.
  8. Crushed eggshells easily neutralize the negative effects of hydrochloric acid due to their high calcium content, which blocks burning. To relieve an attack, it is enough to take 0.5 tsp. shell powder and wash down with 200 ml of water.
  9. Drink sunflower or olive oil in the amount of 1 tsp. will relieve heartburn and cover the gastric mucosa with a protective layer.
  10. If there are oat or barley grains in the house, then they can also be used against this problem. You need to chew a few grains. The saliva produced during chewing helps relieve discomfort.
  11. Various nuts and seeds eliminate heartburn. It is important to use only a natural product that does not contain synthetic additives.
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