In this article, we will explore the health benefits of watermelon and the effect of consuming watermelon at night.

We all know that in the summer season the heat is very intense and the only thing that we want to eat is fresh and light food above all. This is where the first fruit that comes to our mind is watermelon. Besides being delicious this fruit is very refreshing because most of its composition is water. So eating a piece of watermelon in the hot summer is a great idea to acclimatize our body and also to maintain our level of hydration balanced.

Although it looks harmless and very exquisite, there is a myth especially among the elderly, about the possible damage or upset stomach that could cause us to consume watermelon during night or hours close to bedtime.

But what about the fact that eating watermelon at night hurts us in some way?

Keep reading and then we will give you all the information you need to know if you can enjoy this fantastic fruit without remorse or danger.

But before knowing it, it is also important to know some of its properties and effects on our body.

Properties of Watermelon

Below we detail the most outstanding properties of watermelon.

• It provides a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Definitely one of the most important properties of watermelon is its nutritional content because it contains vitamins such as vitamin A, B vitamins such as B 3 and B 6. As for the minerals it contains potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron and phosphorus.
• It contains lycopene. This substance is what gives it its characteristic reddish color and works as an antioxidant, in addition to protecting the heart.
• Low calorie. It is one of the fruits most included in the diets because its caloric intake is doubly lower than the rest of the fruits and contains no fat.
• It provides fiber. In less quantity than other fruits, but it is still an important contribution. Helps fight constipation and regulates the digestive process.
• It is an ideal moisturizer. Thanks to its large amount of water helps regulate the hydration levels of our body.
• Watermelon is antioxidant. Lycopene and water help make this food a great antioxidant. It helps us to reduce the marks caused by the passage of time.
• Natural painkiller. It can help reduce muscle pain, especially after exercising.

Benefits of Watermelon for our Health

Among the main benefits of watermelon that provides us, we wanted to highlight the following:

• It has anti-cancer properties. Thanks to its high content of lycopene (the substance responsible for its characteristic red color), which acts as an antioxidant , watermelon can act against certain cancer cells such as breast, prostate, uterus and lung cancer thanks to the fact that substance creates a protection of the cells from the damage that free radicals cause.
• It protects the heart. Watermelon contains a substance called L-citrulline, which in turn is transformed into L-arginine, which is an amino acid that helps in the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has the function of maintaining the elasticity of the arteries as well as the blood vessels, preserving cardiovascular health. Now you can imagine the health benefits of watermelon.
• Watermelon helps lower blood pressure. According to a study conducted by the Florida State University in Tallahassee and published in the American Journal of Hypertension in 2011, consuming watermelon every day can cause a reduction in blood pressure and is due to the fact that it has vasodilatory effects and increases the synthesis of nitric oxide, which translates into a lower blood pressure.
• It has effects similar to viagra. This fruit can help erectile dysfunction and also cause an increase in libido, according to a study conducted by the University of Texas A & M. This is because the so-called phytonutrients that are lycopene, beta-carotene and L-citrulline can relax blood vessels and end sexual impotence. So better not to consume a huge amount of watermelon at night.
• It is optimal for the eyes. Its content of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A, can significantly improve the health of the eyes since it helps produce pigments in the retina and also slows down the macular degeneration caused by age. The recommended thing to achieve this kind of health benefits of watermelon, consume three portions of watermelon a day.

But, not everything is completely positive. There are also certain negative aspects of eating watermelon which is why it is believed to be harmful in the evening hours.

Let’s see it below.

Negative Aspects of Eating Watermelon at night

As we told you, not everything is positive when it comes to consuming watermelon. There may be some side effects, contraindications or whatever you want to call it if we eat watermelon.

The main ones are these:

• Its high level of water. Its high concentration of water causes it to have diuretic effects on the body. If this is not what you are looking for, it can turn out to be a negative aspect. In addition, having so much liquid, it can cause that at night our organism does not burn it as it is due, being able to even get us to get fat.
• High levels of lycopene. We cannot count all are the benefits of watermelon for health. Eating large amounts of watermelon causes us to accumulate high levels of lycopene. This can translate into nausea, headache, indigestion, diarrhea, gas, intestinal problems or inflammation.
• It can cause allergies. Watermelon contains certain enzymes abundantly and these can cause airway obstruction, facial inflammation, anaphylaxis, urticaria and diarrhea. People suffering from allergies should avoid drinking watermelon.
• High levels of potassium. People who have been diagnosed with high levels of potassium in the blood should not consume foods rich in this mineral.
• High glycemic index. Because it has very high sugar levels, which is inconvenient at night. This is one of the reasons that many people feel so bad to consume watermelon at night according to nutritionists.

Conclusion:

If you want to drink watermelon during the night, it would be convenient to mix it with yogurt, cheese or protein, since these reduce the glucose that watermelon brings to our body.

Therefore, consuming watermelon during the night should not have negative repercussions on the body. But people who have allergic or very sensitive to this type of food, they should avoid watermelon at night. The diuretic effects are activated during sleep and make you want to go to the bathroom.

On the other hand, the health benefits of watermelon make its consumption as one of the best fruit on earth. We should thank its multiple properties and beneficial effects on the body.