Is watermelon good for Diabetes? What nutrients in watermelon can make you have health benefits? If you have any of these concerns, this article is for you. Let’s look at the diabetes-related effects of watermelons.
Watermelon is known as the king of fruits by many because it is a summer favorite of most. Though people enjoy it for its refreshing taste, they may not know that watermelon has numerous benefits. These health benefits are great, but to determine if a watermelon is good for Diabetes, one must first understand this condition. In Diabetes, the body of person loses its capability to produce the required amount of insulin or use insulin well. Why is this insulin so important? It’s because it converts the body’s sugar into much-needed energy for daily life. And when Diabetes is not well-controlled, sugar stops entering cells and accumulates in the body.
Now that you know what Diabetes is, let’s examine whether a fruit like watermelon is good for it!
Table of Contents
Is A Watermelon Good For Diabetes?
Watermelon is a very good fruit to eat if you are trying to lose weight or are diabetic. It has a high water content, so it is good for you when you drink lots of fluids. It also contains vitamins and minerals important for your health, such as vitamins A, C, calcium, and potassium.
A medium-sized watermelon contains about 90 calories and 17 grams of carbohydrates. This makes it a low-calorie food option for people with Diabetes or those trying to achieve their next weight loss milestone. The fiber content in a raw watermelon helps balance out the sugar level in the body, which is crucial for people with Diabetes who have trouble maintaining their blood sugar levels.
Watermelon Glycemic Index
The glycemic load measures how much a particular food raises blood glucose levels compared to pure glucose. It’s important to keep the glycemic load low because foods with a high glycemic load are more likely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels and lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Watermelon has a low glycemic index (GI) of 72. This means that people with Diabetes can eat it as it does not cause a sharp increase in blood sugar levels.
Other Benefits Of Eating Watermelon
After being good for people with Diabetes, watermelon has a lot of other health benefits. Below are some really great health benefits of including watermelon in your diet.
Heart health
Watermelon is rich in potassium, which helps lower the pressure of blood by regulating the sodium levels in the body. According to Harvard Health Publishing, potassium also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by helping prevent plaque buildup in the arteries.
Healthier skin
Vitamin C promotes collagen production, which makes your skin glowing and flawless. Plus, vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals that damage cells and cause signs of aging, such as wrinkles and age spots.
Weight loss
Watermelon contains 92 percent water and only 50 calories per cup (100 grams), so it’s a great addition to any weight-loss plan because it fills you up without adding extra calories to your meal or snack time.
Performance
Watermelon contains vitamin B6, which helps convert food into energy for your body. It also contains citrulline, an amino acid that improves athletic performance by relaxing blood vessels to increase blood flow during exercise. This prevents fatigue by increasing the oxygen level in your muscles and overall body.
How To Include Watermelon In Your Daily Diet
Watermelon is a delicious and nutritious fruit that can be eaten in many ways.
Here are some ideas for how to include watermelon in your diet:
Snack
As a snack, on its own, or with other foods. Watermelon is low in fats and water content, making it a good snack option. Try slicing some watermelon cubes into a bowl with other fruits, such as apples or guava. You can also add some nuts and seeds to make it more filling. For example, try mixing pistachios and almonds with your watermelon slices for added flavor and texture!
Salads and sandwiches
Use it in salads and sandwiches. Watermelons are often used in fruit salads because they have a unique texture that adds variety to an otherwise bland dish. Add them to sandwiches like tuna salad or chicken salad for extra flavor and crunchiness!
Desserts
In desserts! Watermelons pair well with fruit-based desserts like pie or cake because of their light sweetness (as opposed to other fruits, which tend to be very sweet). You can also use watermelon juice as an alternative sweetener if no sugar is available!
Other Diabetic-Friendly FruitsÂ
Though watermelon is a good fruit to eat if you have Diabetes, you can’t eat it every day, right? To compensate, include low-GI fruits such as:
Avocado:Â Avocados are a great source of healthy fats that can help you feel full for longer. Avocado can be used as a salad dressing or in a variety of dishes.
Berries:Â Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries all contain anthocyanins (a type of antioxidant). These antioxidants have been shown to prevent certain diseases (including cancer) and improve memory and brain function in elderly people.
Grapefruit:Â Grapefruits are packed with vitamin C, which helps your body absorb other vitamins and contain lycopene. This powerful antioxidant may protect against some types of cancer and heart disease. They also have pectin fiber, which helps by dropping the level of cholesterol in the body by making an unbreakable bond with bile acids in the digestive system, so they’re excreted instead of absorbed into the bloodstream.
Also Read:Guide to Buying Your First Wig
Final Words
While there is no cure for Diabetes or a way to completely eliminate it, as long as you live, eating a healthy diet can help greatly. Although the watermelon itself is not specifically good for Diabetes, it can act as an important complement to a healthy diet. If you need to manage your Diabetes, discuss your options with a professional, and don’t try any diets or lifestyles that are not supervised by one. Finally, I hope this article on “Is a watermelon good for diabetes” was extremely beneficial to you!
