The fruit of a watermelon from the point of view of botany represents a huge false berry, weight of which reaches 20 - 25 kilograms. In history, cases of growing even larger fruit with a mass of 50 kilograms and above are known.
Long since watermelon prepared a lot of products used in nutrition: jam, pastilles, candied fruits. The unripe salted watermelons in former times were used as dietary delicacies.
Thanks to the dietary properties of watermelon with great success can be used in nutrition of people leading a healthy lifestyle and actively engaged in physical culture and sports. The presence of fructose provides working muscles with easily digestible energy. Useful micronutrients contained in watermelon, beneficial effect on the work of the organs of blood and cardiovascular system, which allows the body of a trained person to optimally adapt to physical stress during training. The iron contained in the juice of this fruit, thanks to its ability to bind oxygen atoms in the hemoglobin, maintains the working capacity of the muscle tissue.
Now it is known that the dietary properties of watermelon are caused by a high water content (up to 80%), alkaline substances, iron. Quite a large mass of this food has a relatively low calorie content, which is especially important for those who want to lose a couple of extra pounds. The presence of easily digestible carbohydrates in watermelon determines its use in dietary nutrition in case of liver diseases and intoxication of the organism (both external and internal). Pectin substances and fiber also contribute to the appearance of dietary properties in watermelon, since the presence of these compounds ensures the normalization of the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Watermelon contains iron in an organic form, which makes it easy to digest this element. It is estimated that eating one kilogram of pulp of watermelon ensures the ingestion of one gram of iron into the human body. Due to this, watermelon is of great importance for dietary nutrition of pregnant women and breast-feeding women, as well as in the development of iron deficiency conditions and anemia. In addition to iron, watermelon contains many other useful microelements: calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus.
The property of watermelon to increase the body's resistance to infectious diseases is due to the presence in it of vitamins B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , PP, ascorbic and folic acid.
Due to useful dietary properties, the fruits of watermelon are recommended for use in atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, arthritis, gout. The high content of fructose makes it possible to use these fruits in small doses in diabetes mellitus.
With nephrolithiasis, nephritis and pyelonephritis, dieticians advise taking 2 to 2.5 kilograms of watermelon a day. The diuretic properties of this food are used to remove salts from the body.
However, with the formation of stone, accompanied by the precipitation of phosphate, the use of watermelon in dietary nutrition is not recommended.
Watermelon cakes also have useful properties. In particular, in their raw and dried form they are used in dietary nutrition in colitis. A seed of watermelon found application as a hemostatic and antihelminthic.