Refreshing and tasty, watermelon is a summer fruit, colorful and highly hydrating. Besides being very appealing, it can be very interesting for certain groups of people such as children and the elderly.
What nutrients does watermelon have?
Water, fructose and carotenoids
These three are the main nutrients that watermelon gives us. As we can see in the attached table, this fruit barely provides us with proteins or fats, the only energy nutrient it contains are simple carbohydrates, which in this case are in the form of fructose .
Vitamins and minerals
Watermelons contain potassium like most fruits, but, in this case, we must bear in mind that it is one of the fruits that provides the least amount of this mineral, which will be an advantage for people who have limited intake of this mineral. On the other hand, its fiber content is low , especially when compared to other fruits, so its digestibility is usually good, we must bear in mind that due to its ease of consumption, it is sometimes taken in excess and this can cause difficulties. especially due to the dilution of gastric juices due to the large amount of water we ingest when we eat watermelon.
Carotenoids
It also contains carotenoids that are precursors of vitamin A and give it its reddish color. One of the carotenoids that watermelon contains is lycopene , and it is considered that it provides us with moderate amounts of this compound with antioxidant properties .
They participate in the formation and maintenance of mucosa, membranes and other soft tissues, and have an antioxidant function.
Potassium
Despite being one of the fruits that contains the least potassium , the amount that watermelons provide us is not negligible. Potassium is an essential mineral for regulating muscle contraction and heart rate . It also participates in the transmission of nerve impulses. The excretion of this mineral is carried out with the urine, therefore, as we have mentioned, in certain kidney diseases its consumption is limited.
Who are they suitable for and who are not?
Watermelon is a refreshing and hydrating fruit that can go well in general to any type of person, except in very specific cases. However, in certain groups it can be especially interesting, due to the amount of water it contains, its ease of intake and because it is one of the fruits with less potassium.
It’s recommended:
- In moderation in kidney patients : like most fruits, watermelon is a food rich in potassium, but in this case it is one of the fruits with the lowest content of this mineral. This makes it especially interesting for people who have limited intake of this nutrient how it happens if we suffer from kidney disease .
- Elderly people : watermelon is a fruit with a high water content and very easy to chew , this makes it a highly recommended food for elderly people with chewing difficulties and who often in summer do not usually ingest the amount of water they need .
- For children and adolescents : its attractive color, the ease of chewing it and above all the fact that simply by cutting it we can consume it without peeling it also makes it a very interesting food for children . In addition, this refreshing fruit is very well received by children . In the case of adolescents, leaving them cut watermelon also facilitates their consumption.
- High blood pressure and other situations in which we must avoid fluid retention : due to its high water content, watermelon is interesting for rehydration , but also the fact that it contains a good amount of water will promote diuresis. Therefore, it is considered a good ally for people with hypertension, kidney stones or high uric acid, as well as for anyone who suffers from fluid retention for different reasons.
It is not suitable in case:
- Immunosuppressed people : it is not that watermelon is more problematic than any other fruit, but immunosuppressed people due to different diseases or after a transplant should avoid raw foods , and certainly watermelon is usually consumed raw, even when used in preparations culinary.
- Low gastric acid production : watermelon is a fruit that is easy to digest in general, but we must bear in mind that if we take a significant amount after a meal, it will act as if we had drunk a few glasses of water. If we suffer from certain gastric problems, this swelling will not be good for us, so we should simply monitor the amounts.
WITH NUTS AND WITHOUT NUTS
- As a curiosity, we will comment that there are basically three types of watermelons that we can divide into two large groups : diploid watermelons or those that contain seeds. They give rise to elongated fruits, which are hardly marketed in the Peninsula, and round fruits like the ones we are used to consuming.
But there are also triploid or seedless watermelons that are in fact taking an increasing role, taking the market away from watermelons with seeds. Actually, they all have seeds, but triploid watermelons simply contain small whitish seeds that go almost unnoticed when consumed.
What you should know…
- Season : watermelon is a summer fruit , we can consume it especially between June and August, although the season can be extended from May to September.
- Benefits : drinking watermelon is an easy and healthy way to hydrate , also taking vitamins, such as carotenoids that are precursors of vitamin A, or minerals such as potassium.
- Ideal for : their composition makes them especially interesting for the elderly, children and people who suffer from high blood pressure or other problems for which we must avoid fluid retention.
