How many calories are in a watermelon and how useful is it?

Deciding to lose weight, a person begins to pay attention to the calorie content of all the foods that make up his diet. An excellent option in this case will be a watermelon diet. After all, such a "berry" as a watermelon is not only low-calorie, but also very useful for our body.

Watermelon Diet: what you need to know

So how many calories are in the watermelon? Its calorific value is only 28 kcal per 100 g of product. For comparison: the caloric value of cherries is 49 kcal, apples - 46. As you can see, watermelon can be safely attributed to dietary products. And yet, before you sit on a watermelon diet, you need to consider a number of nuances.

Firstly, how much calories in the watermelon affect the degree of its maturity. Do not rush to buy watermelons, ripe before the season. They look ripe only thanks to a decent amount of nitrates, which they have been generously fertilized. Therefore, if you want to save your health, wait until August, when the season of ripening of watermelons will begin . Determine the maturity of watermelon can be by the muffled sound, which is heard, if you knock on it, and on the matte surface.

Secondly, simultaneously with a watermelon it is impossible to eat salty food - crackers, chips, salted fish, etc. The salt contained in them will keep the liquid in the body, and the watermelon flesh, from which only water remains, will exert an additional load on the heart or provoke swelling.

And, finally, thirdly. Watermelon diet has its own contraindications. If you suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers of the stomach or duodenum, do not be tempted by how many calories are in the watermelon. With these diseases, as well as with congenital anomalies of the genitourinary system and postoperative adhesions, the watermelon diet is contraindicated. And by itself, that about the diet and the amount of watermelon should be consulted with a specialist.

What else is useful watermelon?

How many calories in a watermelon, of course, is not his only dignity. It contains folic acid, glucose and fructose, as well as many vitamins. Watermelon juice, due to its diuretic properties, perfectly removes toxins from the kidneys. There are almost no salts and natural acids that irritate the urinary system. And the alkalis dissolved in it exert a soothing effect on the foci of irritation.

Doctors often recommend eating a watermelon in large quantities in diseases of the kidney and urogenital system. It is also useful for the liver: the watermelon perfectly removes toxins from it - both with chronic diseases and with poisoning. And the magnesium contained in the watermelon together with calcium helps to increase the capacity of blood vessels and make them more elastic. In addition, magnesium helps the body absorb vitamin D and improves muscle function. Excellent digestion of this vitamin prevents the occurrence of osteoporosis in women and rickets in children. Well, men will like the second property of watermelon. To replenish the reserves of magnesium in the body, it is enough to eat only 150 g of pulp a day.

The use of watermelon will benefit both future and lactating mothers. In addition to replenishing losses in the liquid, watermelon replenishes the lack of iron. This prevents the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia in the mother and baby. As for pregnant women, watermelon is able to satisfy their need for sweet without dangerous consequences. After all, it has a sweet taste because of fructose, which does not cause the development of diabetes. But there are restrictions - watermelon can not be eaten by those who suffer from swelling in the second half of pregnancy.

As you can see, then, how many calories in a watermelon is not its only plus. This is a very useful product that can help our body to be healthy, if you use it moderately and without fanaticism.