Watermelon for Weight Loss – Is It a Smart Option?

Updated on December 19th, 2019
Watermelon for Weight Loss

Watermelon is one of the most refreshing fruits out there. What can be better than taking a bite in a fresh, ripe watermelon on a hot sweltering summer day?  Now, watermelons are not just a fruit that tastes nice. It also comes with its own set of benefits.

A lot of people across the world recommend the use of watermelon for weight loss. Is watermelon good for weight loss? what makes watermelon such a great candidate for weight loss? How to use it to get the most benefits? These are some of the questions whose answers we are going to look at in this article. So, let’s begin.

Watermelon and Its Unknown Benefits

benefits of watermelon
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Let us start our journey by taking a look at some of the health benefits that watermelons have. We are not necessarily talking about watermelon benefits for weight loss only. This fruit is beneficial for several reasons.

[Also Read: How to Lose Weight using Natural Remedies]

1. Low on Calories

One of the biggest reasons why people recommend using watermelon for weight loss is that this fruit is extremely low on calories. One cup of fresh watermelon(1) is only about 46 calories. That makes it a tasty and healthy bite.

2. Packed with Vitamins

Watermelons are an excellent source of essential vitamins. The following vitamins are found in watermelons:

  • Vitamin A: It is necessary for Healthy Vision
  • Vitamin B1: It helps to convert food into energy
  • Vitamin B6: This is needed for the production of red blood cells
  • Vitamin C: It is essential for the growth and repair of tissues

[Also Read: Vitamins and Supplements for Belly Fat]

3. Antioxidant Properties

Watermelon is also an excellent antioxidant. That is why you have watermelon in a range of different face washes and other cosmetics nowadays. This helps watermelon to remove the impurities and free radicals from your body and reduce the damage.

Using Watermelon for Weight Loss – The Watermelon ‘Diet’

weight loss -
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If you are into knowing about the different kinds of diet plans for losing weight, then you would have probably heard about the watermelon diet. It is regarded as one of the most effective ways of using watermelon for weight loss.

What is the Watermelon Diet?

Watermelon diet is a kind of a detox diet plan where your body is cleansed of impurities, and it also aids in active weight loss. It is claimed to boost your energy level and immunity and also flush out the harmful toxins from your body.

The diet is solely based on watermelons. This means that when you follow this diet, you should not eat anything but watermelons and that too, for about 7 to 10 days at a stretch.

Another thing you should follow is that you should eat a kilogram of watermelon for every 10 kilograms of your body weight. So, if you weigh around 80 kilograms, you should consume about 8 kilograms of watermelon. That comes to around 1 kilogram of watermelon every day.

After the initial period of 7 days, you can re-introduce other foods in the diet as well. Usually, you start with two light meals a day and then go on adding to that.

Does it Work?

Well, according to the proponents of the diet, it works wonders. Watermelon is low in calories as well as carbohydrates and fats. This is one of the biggest reasons that make this method of using watermelon for weight loss quite an effective one.

Another one of the watermelon benefits for weight loss is that this fruit is full of water. So, being on a diet that is rich in watermelons helps to flush out the toxins and perform a cleansing action on the whole body.

However, research has also pointed out the major drawback of such crash diet plans.  Studies show that such diets can slow down your metabolism(2) and can also lead to muscle loss. Therefore it is recommended that you consult your dietician/nutritionist to discover how using watermelon for weight loss can impact your health. This would help you decide whether you should go for it.

[Also Read: Surprising Benefits of Watermelon]

Delicious Ways to Use Watermelon for Weight Loss

watermelon detox water
Image:ShutterStock

There are several amazing ways in which you can use watermelon for weight loss. For example, you can chop watermelons and add to your soup or salad. Not only would it help to keep your weight under check, but it would also add natural sweetness to your food.

You can also melt a bar of dark chocolate and use it as a dip for watermelon slices. Now, that’s a perfect example of a ‘not-so-guilty’ pleasure!

You can also make delicious ice cream and still get all the watermelon benefits for weight loss. To prepare ice cream, mix one cup of watermelon, two cups of coconut milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Freeze the mixture and voila! You have tasty and healthy ice cream.

[Also Read: Superfoods For Weight Loss]


FAQs

1. What Are the Precautions I Need to Take?

Watermelon does not contain a lot of essential nutrients. So, unless you are on a watermelon-only diet, you should also include other food sources as well.

2. I Am a Diabetic. Should I Go for the Watermelon Diet?

If you have diabetes, then you should not go for watermelon only diet. This might harm your health.

3. How Long Would It Take to Affect?

It all depends on the way you are using watermelon for weight loss. For example, if you are going for a watermelon only diet, then that would give you results in as little as 7 days. In most other methods, you can see positive results within a month or two.

Using watermelon for weight loss can be a great way to control your weight if you know how to deal with in the right way. That’s why it is recommended that you get in touch with your nutritionist/ dietician before committing to any diet like watermelon only diet. They would be able to tell you how exactly it would impact your body and give you the right advice. So, get proper medical help and realize all the fantastic watermelon benefits for weight loss.

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