Watermelon, being a summer fruit, is enriched with a lot of nutrients. It is also your go-to-snack but if you are a diabetic patient then for you it is important to check the nutritional information first.
Being a patient with diabetes, you must also monitor blood sugar levels using glucometer and maintain a balance with what you are eating. This delicious fruit contains natural sugars.
Therefore, if you are consuming watermelon then you must make sure that watermelon does not have any bad impact on your blood sugar levels. Below mentioned are some health benefits that you must keep in mind about how watermelon affects your diet.
Watermelon is a fruit of West Africa and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. It also includes:
- Vitamin A: It helps in promoting healthy eyesight and keeps the heart, kidneys and lungs healthy.
- Vitamin C: It improves heart health, prevents cancer and cures common colds. It also promotes good digestion as it is rich in fiber.
- Potassium: It is one of the important minerals for the body. It helps in regulating fluid balance, muscle contraction and nerve signals. It also helps in reducing blood pressure and protects against stroke and kidney stones.
- Vitamin B6: It is an essential nutrient for human health. Vitamin B6 helps in managing diabetic neuropathy and lowers the risk of gestational diabetes.
- Magnesium: Magnesium is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions that take place in the human body. It lowers blood pressure and prevents type-2 diabetes.
- Fiber: It promotes digestive problems and lowers cholesterol levels. Fiber slows the absorption of sugar and helps in improving blood sugar levels.
- Iron: It regulates metabolism and plays a direct and causal role in preventing high blood sugar.
- Calcium: It protects against cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. Calcium also helps in preventing heart issues.
Note: Consuming a moderate amount of watermelon not only helps in curbing your cravings of eating something sweet, but it also keeps you satiated. It also keeps you hydrated and helps in weight management.
According to types of research, there is no connection between watermelon consumption and diabetes management. Some reports suggest that consuming watermelon helps in reducing some risks associated with Diabetes. Being rich in antioxidants helps in boosting metabolism and reducing heart issues.
It is to be known that the Glycemic load (GL) is the combination of the GI and the actual carbohydrate content. Foods with low or medium GI do not raise blood sugar levels.
GI of 55 or less is considered to be low and between 55 and 69 is considered to be medium. GI over 70 is known to be high and GL under 10 is low, between 10 and 19 is medium and more than 19 is high.
Watermelon is a fruit with a GI of 72 and GL of 2 per 100 gram serving. Being a low GL food, watermelon can be eaten as a balanced meal.
It is important to discuss with your doctor about what variety of diet you need. They will keep a check on your overall health profile and tell you the best.
Your dietician will help you in determining the best eating plan as he/she will answer all your questions, recommend you portion size and advise you on your meal.
Make sure you keep a track of adding watermelon or any new food to your diet and discuss with your doctor on your next visit. you can check here Celebrity Diet
Some watermelon recipes you must try:
To stay healthy, you need to make a smoothie with watermelon and strawberry mixed with yogurt. It will not only keep you hydrated, but promote healthy digestion. It can be topped with chia seeds. Here is the recipe you can follow:
INGREDIENTS:
- One cup watermelon (chopped)
- Two cop strawberries (frozen)
- One cup low fat yogurt
- Two teaspoons honey
- One spoon lemon juice
HOW TO MAKE:
- Combine watermelon, strawberries, honey, yogurt and lime juice in a blender. You pour in a glass and top with some dry fruits and chia seeds.
Watermelon and Dry Fruit Punch:
You will never get tired of watermelon and its delicious recipes, whether it is smoothie or drink or a dessert. This watermelon and dry fruit punch is a perfect blend of refreshing and healthy drinks.
INGREDIENTS:
- Watermelon Juice
- Dates
- Almonds
- Pista
- Cashew
- Nuts
- Fresh mint
- Lime juice
- Black salt
- Brown sugar
HOW TO MAKE:
- Mix the above ingredients in a grinder
- Grind for two to three minutes
- Add eight to ten ice cubes
- Mix well and serve cold
Spicy Watermelon Soup
Enough of sweet dishes of watermelon. Now let us try some spice to your sweet watermelon. You can try spicy watermelon soup to make your mouth water.
INGREDIENTS:
- Six cup watermelon (chopped)
- One teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- Two tablespoon mint (chopped)
- Chilli flakes
- Olive oil
HOW TO MAKE:
- Saute ginger garlic paste, chilli flakes in a olive oil
- Keep it aside to cool
- Puree the watermelon and mint in the blender and blend properly
- Now add watermelon into the saucepan with ginger garlic paste and chilli flakes and simmer until thickened
- Chill it for one to two hours
- Add a couple of ice cubes in the soup with a spoon of olive oil and serve it with garnishing with a mint.
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