Can Watermelon Help With Diabetes?

A popular summertime pleasure is a watermelon. Despite the fact that you might want to serve a bit of the sweet treat at every meal or make it your go-to summer snack, it is crucial to first review the nutritional facts. Natural sugars can be found in watermelon. This might affect your blood sugar level, depending on your diet as a whole and how much watermelon you eat. If you have diabetes, you know how essential it is to monitor your diet and test your blood sugar levels.

Much research concluded that no one macronutrient distribution, which includes lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, is effective for everyone. Instead, healthcare teams and dietitians must develop tailored plans considering a person's objectives and general health. ToneOp provides different health plans tailored to people's objectives and goals. The plans include a power detox plan, an active fitness plan, a weight loss plan, a diabetes care plan, a hypothyroid care plan, a hypertension care plan, a PCOS/PCOD plan and a complete transformation plan catering different needs of different people.

Nutrient Content Of Watermelons

Watermelon, a fruit native to West Africa, is a fantastic source of the following vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B6
• Fibre
• Iron
• Calcium

5 Benefits Of Watermelon For Health

This enormous round fruit has a vivid red interior with a green rind. It is juicy and sweet, giving it the ideal treat to quench your thirst in the sweltering summer. Additionally, it is nutrient-rich, containing vitamins A and C and antioxidants.

The top 9 health advantages of watermelon are:

1. Aids In Keeping You Hydrated

Your body needs water to function correctly. A few bodily functions that depend on appropriate hydration include body temperature regulation, regular organ function, nutrition delivery to cells, and attentiveness. It may be possible to assist your body in getting the water required to function effectively by eating meals with a high water content. Watermelon is a wonderful option for daily water consumption because it includes 92% water. This melon also has a low-calorie density, or extremely few calories per unit of weight, because of its high water content. By making you feel fuller for longer, foods with low-calorie density, like watermelon, may help with weight loss. 

2. Rich In Minerals And Healthy Plant Substances

Numerous minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C, are present in watermelon. Additionally, it has a low-calorie count, with only 46 in one cup (152 grams). Citrulline, an amino acid that may enhance exercise performance, is also abundant in watermelon. Additionally, it has antioxidants, including vitamin C, carotenoids, lycopene, and cucurbitacin E. These substances aid in the fight against free radicals. These unstable molecules can harm your cells if they build up in your body. This harm could eventually result in cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

3. Potential Anti-Cancer Properties

Lycopene and cucurbitacin E are two plant substances present in watermelon and may have anticancer properties. Although research findings are conflicting, lycopene consumption may be linked to a lower risk of several cancers, including prostate and colorectal cancer uncontrolled cell division leads to the development of cancer. Lycopene is known to function by lowering blood levels of the hormone insulin-like growth factor (IGF) as a result of stopping cell growth and tumor.

4. Strengthens Heart Health

Numerous nutrients in watermelon may support heart health. Your chance of having a heart attack or stroke may be reduced if you make lifestyle changes, including improving your diet to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

5. Lessens Oxidative Stress And Inflammation

Many chronic diseases have inflammation as a primary cause. Watermelon's mix of lycopene, vitamin C, and antioxidants may lessen oxidative damage and inflammation.

Diabetes And Watermelon

The glycemic index (GI) determines how foods rapidly affect blood sugar levels. A person is more likely to have a blood sugar increase if the GI gauges how quickly sugar from food enters the system. The GI system gives each food a score ranging from 0 to 100. The rate at which sugar enters the bloodstream increases with the higher the number. The GI of watermelon is roughly 72. A food item has a high GI if it has a GI of 70 or higher.

The research found that a 120-gram serving of watermelon has a low glycemic load of 5, attributable to the fruit's high water content (g). The group advises against drinking watermelon juice because of its significantly greater glycemic load, even if it advocates eating fresh watermelon.

People with diabetes may combine watermelon with foods high in fibre, protein, and healthy fats, such as nuts or seeds. A person may experience greater satiety and less blood sugar absorption thanks to this mix of nutrients.

What Percentage Of Watermelon Is Sugar?

A medium-sized slice of watermelon weighs roughly 286 g and has 17.7 g of sugar. Depending on how much watermelon a person eats, they will eat a different amount of sugar. For instance, a person would ingest about 9.5 g of sugar in a single cup.

Watermelon can help maintain a healthy digestive system due to its high fibre content.

Moderate consumption of watermelon can help you feel fuller for longer while also reducing your need for something sweet. This is so because watermelon contains more than 90% water.

Best Methods For Eating Watermelon While Having Type 2 Diabetes

A person should balance their meal or snack when they include fruit, such as watermelon, by including healthy fats and proteins. Protein and fat both work to reduce how quickly sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream. People with type 2 diabetes who utilise their dietary habits to regulate their blood sugar levels may find this helpful. Like other fruits, watermelon is often best eaten unsweetened, whole, and with little to no processing. However, one might include it in a fruit salad and eat a reasonable amount of it as a part of a bigger meal.

The Final Say 

The consumption of watermelon should be separate from other high-GI foods, though. Instead, they should combine it with foods like nuts, seeds, and other wholesome protein and fat sources. In addition, according to a few researchers, watermelon juice may have a higher glycemic load than fresh, solid watermelon. Hence it is advised to stay away from it.

FAQs

1. Can watermelon cause blood sugar to rise?

In essence, watermelon has inherently occurring sugars that might cause blood sugar to rise. However, if you only eat a tiny amount—say, a cup of watermelon diced—the impact on your blood sugar is minimal. In fact, even small portions of watermelon may help those with diabetes.

2. What additional fruits are good for diabetes?

Here are some more fruits beneficial for diabetes 

• Berries 
• Apples
• Peaches
• Grapefruit
• Cherries
• Plums
• Pears
• Kiwi

3. Why is watermelon bad at night?

When eaten at night, watermelons are not good for your digestion and can lead to IBS and other issues, which will make your stomach upset the next day. Because digestion is slower at night than during the day, avoiding foods high in sugar and acid is advised.

4. Is it safe to consume watermelon seeds?

It is not necessary to refrain from eating watermelon seeds. In fact, you may use them in a variety of ways to benefit from their flavour and nutrition. For instance, you could roast the seeds from a watermelon. Watermelon seeds that have been roasted are loaded with nutrients and contain good fats like omega-3s.

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