Watermelon is a summer essential. It will be hard to find someone who does not like eating a watermelon.
The sweet and juicy summery fruit is currently in season and can also be a replacement to quench your thirst.
Even the seeds are nutritious!
Not just that, watermelon also comes packed with plenty of health benefits. It is naturally rich on water content and a potent nutrient and minerals like potassium and lycopene.
Health benefits of eating watermelon
The juicy red fruit has also been found to relieve or lower chances of muscle soreness, improve heart health and may even contain certain compounds which have cancer-fighting properties.
Pregnant women, in particular, are advised to have watermelon regularly. With its high water content (read 92%), it reduces the infamous pregnancy swelling and morning sickness as well. Even the seeds are extremely healthy!
Healthiest way to eat watermelon
No wonder, with so many health benefits, it’s not a fruit you can afford skipping out on when in season. However, do you know that at certain times, if eaten incorrectly, the fruit could land you in health trouble?
Yes, you read that correctly!
What happens when you eat watermelon at night?
Since watermelon is a natural coolant and serves many benefits, a lot of us tend to have the fruit in between meals or some even prefer to eat them as dinner, right before going to bed. However, this is something which nobody should be really doing. Consuming watermelon in nighttime can pose more health problems than one.
1. It could upset your stomach
Our digestion is slower post the evenings and the most active during the mornings and for the same reason, it’s always recommended you keep your dinners light and easy. Watermelon, with its high water and acidic content, could trouble your digestion and lead to stomach troubles. In some cases, it can also lead to bowel irritation. The same has been recommended in Ayurvedic rulebooks as well.
2. It’s high on sugar
Before you go raving about this sweet summer essential, do remember that it’s loaded with a lot of sugar (even if natural). Sugar is best avoided at night and can even promote weight gain, which is something nobody wants. Plus, many fruits in the market may be spiked with chemicals to increase their sweetness, which again, is a bummer.
3. Makes you take more trips to the bathroom
Watermelon has 92% water content. While it does solve your hydration blues in peak summers, having it at night can potentially make you take more trips to the bathroom, disturb your sleep. In some cases, watermelon, if not eaten in control can lead to the problem of water retention, causing swelling and overhydration.
What is the best way to eat them?
You can also have the fruit as a snack between meals, but best avoided through the later hours of the day.
