Is it allowed to eat half a watermelon a day? The nutritional truth that will surprise you | Dr. Maya Roseman

A listener asked me this week if it is okay that she eats half a watermelon a day. So let's do the math for a moment. In my menus, there are usually three snacks a day. For those who do not have diabetes or pre-diabetes, each of these snacks can certainly be a fruit portion.

And what is considered a fruit portion when it comes to watermelon? About 300 grams of watermelon without the rind, which is about 3 cups of cubes and about 90-100 calories. If you choose watermelon for all three snacks, you reach about 900 grams of net watermelon during the day. Together with the rind, it is about 1.5-2 kg of a whole watermelon, depending of course on the thickness of the rind and the size of the fruit. In other words: a quarter of a large watermelon or even close to half a small watermelon during a whole day is not necessarily an abnormal amount as it seems.

Of course, there is no need to eat exactly three portions of watermelon a day, and it is usually better to diversify between different fruits. But the amount itself does not turn the watermelon into a "sugar bomb". On the contrary: despite its sweet taste, watermelon is actually one of the fruits relatively low in sugar and calories.

Less sugar and fewer calories than you think

Despite the particularly sweet taste, in practice watermelon contains only about 7% sugar - less than the average in many other fruits. For comparison, grapes contain about 16% sugar, a banana about 12%, and fresh figs about 16%. That is, the watermelon is less "loaded with sugar" than it seems, and thanks to its high water content, you can enjoy it in a generous amount, without fearing like with other fruits.

Compared to other fruits, it is considered relatively low in calories. In one hundred grams of watermelon, there are only 33 calories, compared to other fruits where it is 45-65 calories per hundred grams, for example in apples or peaches or nectarines. A fruit portion of watermelon is about 300 grams (3 cups of cubes), and it contains only about 100 calories.

Combining with protein or fat

Those who want the watermelon to satisfy for a longer time can combine it with a source of protein or fat, for example, cheese, yogurt, or nuts. This combination can slow down stomach emptying and moderate the rise in blood sugar levels, and therefore it is especially suitable for those who feel that a fruit alone does not keep them full for a long time.

Lots of water, especially in summer

Watermelon contains more than 90% water, so it definitely contributes to the daily fluid balance. On hot days, or for those who have difficulty drinking enough, water-rich fruits like watermelon can add a significant amount of fluid during the day. Of course, it is not intended to replace drinking water with watermelon, but to remember that the water that comes from food is also counted.

Components that contribute to skin health

The combination of high water content, vitamin C, and carotenoids makes watermelon a particularly successful fruit in the summer. Vitamin C is needed for collagen production, and beta-carotene is used by the body as a precursor to vitamin A, which is important for the proper functioning of skin cells. Watermelon is of course not a treatment for wrinkles, but it definitely adds components to the menu that contribute to skin health.

Watermelon is also an excellent source of lycopene - lycopene is the red pigment from the carotenoid family that gives the watermelon its color. Many associate lycopene mainly with tomatoes, but red watermelon is also an excellent source. In some varieties, the amount in it can be very high, although it varies depending on the variety and growing conditions.

Lycopene is an antioxidant that is studied in the context of heart health, blood vessels, and various chronic diseases. There is no need to attribute to the watermelon itself the ability to prevent a certain disease, but it definitely has a place in a diet rich in fruits and vegetables that provide a variety of antioxidants.

Satiety mainly thanks to volume

Watermelon is not a fruit particularly rich in fiber, so the satiety from it comes mainly from the large volume and high water content. This is exactly the reason why a large bowl of watermelon can feel like a lot of food, even though in terms of calories it is still relatively moderate.

The feeling that it is "diuretic" - and the myth about drinking water after watermelon

Sometimes watermelon is described as a natural diuretic, but there are not enough studies in humans that allow determining that it has a special diuretic effect. What is clear is that it introduces a lot of fluid into the body, and some of the excess fluid is of course excreted later in the urine. Therefore, it is possible that there are those who feel a sense of lightness after it, but there is no reason to present it as a treatment for edema or fluid retention.

There are still those who believe that it is forbidden to drink water after watermelon, but there is no scientific basis for this. The watermelon itself is composed mostly of water, and our digestive system knows how to deal well with food and liquids together. Drinking water does not "dilute the stomach juices" in a way that interferes with digestion, and the stomach knows how to regulate the secretion of acid and digestive enzymes according to the content that arrives in it. There is no problem at all to drink water after watermelon, while eating it, or at any other time.

Still, it is worth diversifying

Even if watermelon is a great addition to the summer menu, there is no advantage in having all fruit portions in a day be of the same type. Diversifying between watermelon, melon, peach, apple, grapes, and other fruits provides a wider variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.