Melon - useful properties and contraindications

Melon is one of the favorite summer treats of adults and children. Many people like the sweet taste and pleasant aroma of this plant. Most often, melon is eaten as a dessert, which involves the use of small quantities and infrequently. Indeed, if there is this product in this way, it will bring many benefits. However, melon also has harmful properties, which are manifested during overeating and in sensitive individuals. So what is the use of melon and how dangerous is it?

General information

Melon is a plant of the family Pumpkin genus Cucumber. Despite the pronounced differences in taste and appearance, these plants really have a lot in common. For example, there are melon varieties that are almost impossible to distinguish from pumpkins in appearance, because the fruits of both plants are called pumpkins.

A distinctive feature of the melon is its sweet honey taste. In addition, this plant has a pronounced seasonality of harvest. In a temperate climate, the fruits are edible from late July to mid September.

The birthplace of melon is considered to be Asia and Africa. Some of its varieties first appeared in India, others in Tajikistan, Iraq, and Iran. In general, the melon quickly spread throughout all the countries of Eurasia, and then went beyond its borders. There are currently no wild varieties of this plant, all of them are agricultural crops and are eaten.

It is worth noting that in the regions of Central Russia and the Northern districts, melons are either grown in specially equipped greenhouses, or imported from the Southern districts. Like any fruit growing on melons, melons do not like cold and humidity.

Composition and calorie content

Melon consists of a solid dense peel and pulp, which is divided into layers. The inner layer, the one with seeds, is not recommended. Only the middle part of the fetus is suitable for use. What is fraught with this fruit?

In fact, melon is not the richest plant with useful substances. It contains in large quantities only three vitamins - A, C and R. However, not everything is simple here. Vitamin A is fat-soluble, it is almost not absorbed if it enters the body with raw fruit, since the fruit contains fats in very small quantities. Vitamin P works only with vitamin C, which increases the effectiveness of both vitamins and determines the immunostimulating properties of melon. However, this fruit cannot be called a champion in vitamin composition.

At the same time, melon has two very important ingredients that work in pairs - folic acid and iron. They largely determine its useful qualities. In addition to iron, this fruit also contains zinc and potassium, but in small quantities.

Melon can hardly be called a balanced product for a healthy diet. Its calorie content is on average 35 kcal per 100g (from 30 to 40 depending on the variety), which attracts those who choose a diet for weight loss. However, melon is not recommended for this purpose. The fact is, it contains a lot of sugar. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in this product is as follows: 2: 1: 25. As we can see, melon is almost entirely composed of simple carbohydrates. In addition, she is able to increase appetite.

The benefits of melon

As already mentioned, melon does not have as many vitamins and minerals as some other fruits and vegetables. However, this is a fairly useful product. The positive properties of melon are as follows:

1. Effect on blood formation. It was already mentioned above that this fruit is rich in folic acid and iron. These are two indispensable substances that allow you to synthesize hemoglobin - the main carrier of oxygen contained in red blood cells. Thus, melon normalizes blood formation, therefore it is indicated for patients with anemia.
2. Infection protection. Thanks to vitamins C and P, eating melon reduces the permeability of the connective tissue of the body. The fact is that these vitamins are involved in the synthesis of connective tissue. The larger it is, the stronger the barrier between the internal environment and the outside world.
3. Strengthening blood vessels. This property is also associated with these vitamins and connective tissue. Especially useful is the use of melons in old age and for people who suffer from frequent nosebleeds.
4. Stimulation of immunity. Vitamin C is one of the powerful antioxidants. Thanks to this, a person who uses vitamin C is protected from viral, bacterial and tumor diseases.
5. Improving digestion. Melon can not only cause appetite, but also enhance the production of digestive enzymes. That is why it is recommended as a dessert for better digestion of food eaten.
6. Improving the condition of the skin. Due to its antioxidant properties, melon is able to slow down the aging process in the skin. That is why it is useful not only to use it inside, but also to make external masks and creams.

Harmful properties of melon

Like any other product, melon is not only good, but also harmful. The negative sides of this fruit are as follows:

1. A lot of sugar. On the one hand, it’s just wonderful, the sweet honey taste of melon can replace any ice cream or cake. However, with excessive use of it, blood sugar may increase and excess weight may be added.
2. Ability to cause diarrhea. In general, melon weakens the intestines and is indicated for people with chronic constipation. However, in people with normal tiredness when consumed heavily, this fruit can cause diarrhea. In addition, melon seeds and the pulp in which they are located cause diarrhea.
3. Induction of exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal diseases. As already mentioned, melon increases the synthesis and secretion of digestive enzymes. These substances contribute to the breakdown of food, but at the same time, they irritate the mucous membrane of the internal organs. This causes an exacerbation of gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis.

How to eat melon correctly and for whom it can be dangerous?

In order to get the maximum benefit and minimum harm from this fruit, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Eat melon only after the main course as a dessert. This is necessary in order for the digestive tract enzymes to digest food, and not the cells of your body. In addition, it’s more likely that eating a lot of melons will not work.
2. Eat no more than one or two pieces. We have already figured out that melon in large quantities only harms the body. Therefore, you should work ahead of the curve - there is a bit of it.
3. No melon diets, maximum - fasting day. Melon on an empty stomach is harmful even to a healthy person. In addition, due to the high sugar content, losing weight on a melon diet in any case will not work.
4. You can not eat melon with cold water, kefir, yogurt and alcohol.

Melon is dangerous for people with the following diseases and body conditions:

• Diabetes;
• Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• Lactation;
• Obesity.

Thus, it is mono to conclude that melon is a healthy and tasty product. However, it can only be eaten if all the rules are followed. A large amount of this fruit is harmful to health. In addition, there are conditions in which melon is completely contraindicated. In general, all products are useful if you eat them in moderation.

Video: what will happen if there is a melon every day?