People say that pregnancy is quite a beautiful and unforgettable experience. It is a lovely moment to bring another life into this world. However, good times come with great responsibility. Pregnant women must be quite careful for their and the baby's health during this period.
The main precaution has to be given to food and diet. Therefore, eating fruits and vegetables in large quantities is extremely important. Before eating watermelon from the fruit section, we will see the benefits of watermelon during pregnancy.
When eating fruit during pregnancy, knowing its benefits will keep you relaxed. If your body starts acting differently, then at least you will know that it is not because of the watermelon fruit that you have just had. So further on, we will address all the important aspects of whether women should be eating watermelon during pregnancy.
Is Watermelon Safe To Eat During Pregnancy?
Watermelon is generally quite safe to eat. However, those with blood sugar issues should avoid eating watermelon, as it is rich in carbs but has low fiber. If you are suffering from diabetes or high blood sugar levels, then do not consume large quantities of watermelons.
There is no strong data stating that watermelon is bad for pregnant women. Instead, it helps fight off many prenatal risks and works as a refreshing mid-meal munchie. The list of benefits can go on, but to break the myth that watermelon is unsafe, it is safe and consumable during pregnancy.
Watermelon has lycopene, which can lower the chances of preeclampsia by 50%, according to the research. Watermelon benefits women by avoiding dehydration, as this fruit has a rich water content of 92% that helps pregnant ladies meet fluid requirements.
While these are the major benefits, read below to see a detailed list of more such benefits.
Benefits of Watermelon During Pregnancy
Watermelon has a lot of water content, which has numerous advantages for pregnant women. A few of the most highlighted benefits of watermelon during pregnancy are associated with reduced swelling and relief from morning sickness. Let us look deeply at the benefits that you can get from eating watermelon.
Helps to Reduce Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a condition that can occur in pregnancy in which high blood pressure increases swelling and causes a loss of protein in the urine. It is quite serious, as this issue can cause preterm births, which can be dangerous. Watermelon has a rich content of lycopene, which is found in tomatoes and other colored foods that have red pigments.
Reduce Side Effects
Pregnancy times cause many differences in daily fluid requirements and cause an increase in optimal blood circulation, amniotic fluid levels, and blood volume. This results in digestion slowing down. Combining these two changes in the body, a woman has the risk of bad hydration, leading to constipation or hemorrhoids.
Relieve Discomfort
Watermelon is rich in high levels of vitamins C, A, and B6, potassium, and magnesium. Magnesium is quite helpful in making the muscles more relaxed, which will prevent premature conditions from occurring in pregnancy. Morning sickness can annoy pregnant women, and waking up every day feeling nauseous is nerve-wracking. Watermelon helps fight morning sickness, saves you from dehydration, and reduces heartburn.
Gives Glowing Skin
During pregnancy, there are a lot of hormonal changes that a woman goes through. These changes are also responsible for making the skin look dull and patchy. With watermelon, your digestion improves a lot, which helps flush out all the toxins. Releasing toxins gives you naturally glowing skin that is not covered by pigmentation.
Helps Baby develop healthy bones
Watermelon contains calcium and potassium in good amounts. These minerals promote great bone growth, which gives the baby strong bones and teeth.
Answering Concerning Questions
After you have seen the benefits of watermelon during pregnancy, let us answer some common yet important questions about watermelon and pregnancy.
Can Watermelon Cause a cold?
As discussed before, watermelon has lycopene, a great antioxidant that keeps all illnesses away. If you eat watermelon regularly, then there are high chances you won't catch any infections. Eating watermelon has also helped reduce the risk of respiratory inflammation. So to answer the concern, watermelon does not cause colds or coughs. But for obvious reasons, if you eat cool watermelon from the fridge, then it can be a reason you have caught a cold.
Can Watermelon Seeds Be Harmful?
Many women can get quite cautious when it comes to watermelon seeds. However, the seed has many nutrients that can benefit the mother and the fetus. A delicious way to eat seeds is by roasting them until they turn crispy. The seed has vitamin C, which is quite useful if you wish to boost the growing child's immune system.
Ways to Eat Watermelon
These fun recipes will help you incorporate watermelon into your diet even more. Try these tasty treats to give your taste buds a different watermelon experience.
Watermelon Juice
On an exhausting and tiring day, if you get a sip of cool and refreshing watermelon juice, then it can solve half of your life's problems.
- In a blender, blend watermelon according to the quantity you want to drink.
- Take a fine mesh and put the puree in it. Sieving will take out all the seeds and pulp. Discard the pulp that is collected in the sieve.
- Serve the juice in a pretty glass, and you can add a squeeze of lime if you want to intensify the taste.
Popsicle
Popsicles are a fun thing to eat with watermelon on a hot day. If you want to eat watermelon with a great twist, then a popsicle is what you are looking for.
- Puree watermelon and sieve it through to remove all the pulp.
- Pour this puree into a popsicle mold; if you don't have these molds, paper cups work fine.
- For the paper cups, cut out foil paper by measuring the paper cup and leaving some extra space to fold it neatly along the sides of the cups.
- Now insert a wooden stick into those cups, acting like your popsicle holder.
- Put this in the freezer for 3-5 hours, and tada! Your refreshing popsicle is ready.
- Adding low-fat yogurt, fruit juices, or berries also works if you want to make different popsicles.
Watermelon Salsa
There's nothing like a good salsa to beat hunger. If you are craving some light and fresh food, this salsa should be your ideal choice, as it is fun and quick to make but does not compromise on taste.
- Add our star of the show, watermelon, cucumber, onion, mango, basil leaves, and lime zest to a big bowl. Toss all of the ingredients well.
- Mix lime juice, salt, sugar, and pepper in another bowl.
- Now incorporate these two bowls, and you are done. Your salsa is ready. If you want to add some cheese or more fruits, go ahead, as it will taste quite amazing.
- Eat this salsa with some nachos or chips.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is when the mother has to be extra careful and should rest her body. Eating and having a proper diet is also necessary for a child to grow well. Knowing the benefits of watermelon during pregnancy, you should add this fruit to your diet to reduce the chances of preeclampsia and eliminate morning sickness. It also gives you glowing skin and helps the baby develop strong bones. If you like to read such informative blogs, then check out many others on the topics of entertainment, health, beauty, feminism, and a lot more on The Voice Of Woman.
