Watermelon is an important part of a healthy diet, as it is loaded with beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as the antioxidant lycopene that has cancer-fighting properties and is beneficial for cardiovascular health. However, you may be concerned about eating too much of the fruit. Eating too much of anything, including fruit, can have unwanted side effects.
Effects of eating watermelon
1. May cause digestive problems.
Eating too much watermelon can cause stomach discomfort, bloating, gas, and diarrhea because it is high in FODMAPs. FODMAPs are an acronym for a group of short-chain carbohydrates. That are easily fermented and cannot be digested or absorbed slowly in the small intestine. These include oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
Nutritionists generally recommend that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) eat a low-FODMAP diet, as symptoms of the condition include bloating, gas, and diarrhea. ยูฟ่าเบท However, eating a high-FODMAP diet can cause IBS-like symptoms. And worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in otherwise healthy people who do not have IBS.
Watermelon is considered a high-FODMAP food by nutritionists because of its high fructose content. Fructose is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, that can cause bloating or stomach discomfort when eaten in large amounts. While watermelon’s high-FODMAP status may indicate gastrointestinal problems in people who are intolerant to fructose, you shouldn’t expect to get stomach cramps every time you eat a large amount of watermelon. However, those with IBS may need to eat less watermelon.
2. May cause high blood sugar levels.
In addition to being high in FODMAPs, watermelon is also high on the glycemic index (GI), so eating too much watermelon can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, which is something you should be especially careful about if you have diabetes. A food’s glycemic index (GI) measures its impact on your blood sugar levels over a two-hour period. Foods with a high GI tend to cause your blood sugar levels to spike, while foods with a low GI cause a steady increase in blood sugar levels.
Foods that are categorized as low GI have a GI of less than 55, foods that are categorized as medium GI have a GI of 56-69, and foods that are high GI have a GI of greater than 70. Watermelon has a GI of 72-80. However, while the GI indicates how your blood sugar will respond to a specific carbohydrate food, the glycemic load (GL) takes into account portion size, so the GL tends to be a more accurate measure of a food’s impact on your blood sugar.
However, eating too much watermelon will increase your GL, which can lead to a rapid increase in your blood sugar levels. Monitoring your blood sugar levels is especially important if you have diabetes.
3. Eating large amounts of watermelon can cause lycopenemia,
a condition in which the skin turns yellow-orange. This is because lycopene, the red pigment in watermelon, can accumulate in the skin when consumed in large amounts. However , this condition is very rare and can usually be reversed by reducing the intake of foods high in lycopene.
Watermelon is a refreshing and healthy fruit, but eating too much can spike blood sugar levels or cause gastrointestinal discomfort in those with a FODMAP intolerance. As with any food, consuming watermelon in moderation is most important. Try to limit your watermelon intake to about 2 cups (300 grams) a day if you’re eating watermelon on its own.