Summer is the time of the Sun, vacations, friends, terraces, staying up late, part of mosquitoes, nights with straining and cities on the coast full of vacationers, but there is one thing that surpasses everything bad and turns everything good and is the melon. This large fruit, unmistakable smell and exquisite flavor, is full of benefits that very few know and that we are going to tell about today.
It is a very characteristic fruit and there are several varieties, although they all share that rough outer skin with stretch marks. In addition, the properties and benefits are also the same, only the flavor changes, since the Cantaloupe melon is not the same as the yellow melon or the Piel de Sapo melon.
These are the nutritional values
This fruit is refreshing and very hydrating, and that is thanks to the fact that it is better kept cold since 90% of 100 grams is only water. This is what makes it the perfect summer fruit.
But it does not stop there, the nutritional values of melon go further and include 34 kilocalories per 100 grams of product, 8.2 grams of carbohydrates, almost 8 grams of natural sugars and no fat or cholesterol.
Likewise, it is also a source of vitamins and minerals, among which we want to highlight vitamin A with 3,382 IU, which is more than 113% of the maximum recommended amount and which will later lead us to know some of the contraindications of eating large quantities.
Continuing with the vitamins, this oval fruit also has almost 37 mg of vitamin C which is 61% of the recommended daily allowance, 2.5 mcg of vitamin K and 21 mcg of vitamin B9.
Regarding minerals, melon provides 9 mg of calcium, 267 mg of potassium, 12 mg of magnesium, 15 mg of phosphorus and 16 mg of sodium.
How to cook with melon and maximum quantity
It may be that, a priori, it does not seem to us that it is a versatile fruit, but it is, since in the kitchen it has a long way beyond a fruit salad, salad or eating it in pieces with a fork.
Some recipes ideas with melon are, fruit gazpachos, creams with ham, compote with cream, melon-filled sweets, natural juices, beef with melon sauce, roast pork with melon, stewed chicken with melon sauce, salmon sautéed with melon , curry with melon sauce and prawns, etc.
All these dishes are delicious, but there is something that we have to keep in mind and it is the maximum amount we can eat in a day. In the nutritional values we have seen some very high figures, well, the scientific and medical community recommends not eating more than one cup of melon a day.
The benefits for our body
The melon is all water, and it shows when we eat two slices and end up in the bathroom after a while. That is very positive, since we are helping our body to cleanse itself and eliminate toxins, reduce fluid retention and hydrate our cells.
Good for skin and bones
Eating it often, without going over a cup a day, has a series of benefits on our skin and on our bones. For example, it prevents spots and wrinkles and favors the healing of wounds and damaged skin such as excessive exposure to the Sun.
The anti-aging effect is achieved thanks to the fact that melons have a high concentration of collagen, keeping our skin smooth and healthy.
Likewise, bones and teeth are also benefited since calcium is abundant in this fruit and it is an essential mineral for the proper functioning of the body and to maintain adequate bone density.
Purifying and for weight loss
If we are immersed in cleansing diets (always under medical recommendation and / or the supervision of a professional) the melon is an extra boost, since its 90% water content helps to purify the body and cleanse it of toxins while filtering and we cleanse the kidneys because it increases visits to the bathroom.
It does not stop here, but it is a very good fruit if our intention is to lose weight in a healthy way because it is low in calories, has no fat or cholesterol and the sugars are natural from the fruit. So we can add it to our weight loss diet, as long as we do not comply with some of the contraindications that we will say later.
Heart-healthy
All fruits and vegetables in general are considered heart-healthy because they help reduce bad cholesterol and there are even properties to promote blood circulation and to provide greater flexibility to blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
The melon has enough vitamin C, so it complies with everything we have said in the previous paragraph, since that is achieved with citrulline and vasodilation .
In addition, it contains adenosine and is related to the reduction of cardiovascular accidents. The presence of potassium also regulates blood pressure and has anti-inflammatory effects, so if we have inflammatory diseases or hemorrhoids, for example, eating melon helps us.
Prevents cancer
The consumption of this fruit is directly related to the reduction of free radicals. Melons are rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, among others. They protect cells and prevent us from major ills such as cancer of the prostate, intestine, lung or pancreas.
The benefits of citrulline that help us improve heart health, also act by inviting cancer cells to spread . But as we have said so many times already, it is not a miraculous method. Food is the basis of health, but that does not prevent us from being able to suffer diseases, delay them, or reduce the chances, but not free them.
Adverse effects of this fruit
What if I eat a lot of melon? Well, it is convenient not to go overboard with the amounts since we could have a bad time. This fruit has some disadvantages such as eating it very green and immature, being allergic to it or to fructose in general, and it can even give us gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea.
In the section on nutritional values we saw that the amount of vitamin A was very high and that of vitamin C was also high. Therefore, it is advisable not to exceed the percentages of vitamins or we may suffer side effects such as headaches, high concentrations of calcium in the blood, weak bones, hair loss, etc.
If we have irritable bowel syndrome , melon is not our best ally since it contains a lot of fructose and in this type of medical diagnosis, fructose is usually eliminated from the list of ingredients.
