Is It Safe To Eat Watermelon During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a very crucial phase that every woman endures at least once in a lifetime and needs utmost attention and consistent care. The pain and sufferings of a would be mother is beyond anyone’s imagination, those sudden food cravings, muscle cramps, swollen feet, back pain, mood swings, facing discomfort during sleeping, sleep deprivation, stress, morning sickness and many more. Paying attention and regular check on the diet of a pregnant woman becomes very much essential because there are some foods that are usually recommended to avoid by doctors during pregnancy such as raw papaya, pineapple, grapes, raw or undercooked meat or eggs, seafood because these foods are known to cause early labour, miscarriage, uterine contractions, softening of cervix. Now the most asked question asked by many women is, “is eating watermelon safe during pregnancy?” This is a very common myth and the answer is NO. Here are the reasons.

1. Doesn’t add extra weight

The first myth related to pregnancy and watermelon is consuming watermelon during pregnancy can cause weight gain. Putting on some weight during pregnancy for nourishing the baby is totally normal but too much of weight gain can increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and caesarean delivery. But the truth is little different. Watermelon consists 92% of water and 7.58% of carbohydrates and it is richly loaded with flavonoids and carotenoids. Watermelons are completely cholesterol and fat free so worrying about weight gain when you eat watermelons is totally bullshit.

2. Nothing to do with gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy develops when your body fails to produce enough insulin that is essential to control blood sugar levels which can be very harmful for a pregnant woman. But watermelon is totally safe for diabetic people and doesn’t even increase the risk of gestational diabetes as it is rich in antioxidant lycopene.

3. Relieves constipation

Another myth related to watermelon and pregnancy is watermelon can cause diarrhea. Well that’s not true. Eating watermelon during pregnancy is absolutely safe and there’s no risk of diarrhea. However, watermelon actually helps in relieving constipation. While pregnancy, women body produce a hormone called relaxin that relaxes smooth muscles as well as the muscles of digestive tract that hampers bowel movements. And watermelon consists of fiber and is high in water content which helps alleviating chronic constipation.

4. Cools down your body temperature

During pregnancy your body core temperature increases which can be very harmful for your baby as excessive body heat can cause embryonic death, development deformities, growth retardation. However watermelon is 92% of water content which helps to cool down your core temperature helping your system to cool down and relax.

5. Relieves gastric issues

Acidity, heartburn, bloating, gastric, nausea are some common health issues during pregnancy and can be really very irritating. All these issues are caused due to a hormone relaxin, but watermelon has its own hydrating and cooling effect that prevents gastric issues and also soothes and relieves food pipe and heartburn.

6. Keeps your body hydrated

Watermelon is extremely safe for pregnant women as its hydrating effect flushes out all toxins from your body through your kidneys. Watermelon consists of 92% of water and 7.55% of fibre and rest minerals. Hence it keeps your body cool and hydrated and has similar effect as water. In fact watermelon replenishes your body with plenty of nutrients and minerals during pregnancy.

7. Relieves muscle cramps

Suffering from muscle cramps, muscular pain and body aches during pregnancy is quite common however watermelon is the perfect healthy snack to munch on to make you feel better. Watermelons are highly rich in potassium minerals that help in transmitting nerve impulses and controlling skeletal muscle contractions to alleviate muscular pain.

8. Relieves morning sickness

Morning sickness feels horrible during pregnancy. Nausea, vomiting, bloating that sudden urge to puke especially in mornings are common early signs of pregnancy. However, eating some watermelon can help in alleviating the symptoms of morning sickness. It not only refreshes your mood but also reduces the effect of nausea due to its high water content.

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9. Reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a condition that leads to serious effects for both mother and baby and eating watermelon is quite safe during pregnancy which helps to reduce the risks of pre-eclampsia as it is highly rich in lycopene which is an antioxidant which reduces the chance of delivering a baby with intrauterine growth retardation.

10. Treats UTI

A woman’s urinary tract undergoes several physiological changes during pregnancy which makes it quite vulnerable to urinary infections from urethra leading to serious complications affecting the womb. However, watermelons are the natural and healthy cure for these infections as they contain amino acids such as citrulline and argentine which are known for increasing the production of urea in liver. The high water content in watermelons escalates the flow of urine flushing out all the microbes and bacteria from urethra.

11. Prevents skin pigmentation

Skin pigmentation is one of the common skin issues during pregnancy and is seen in almost all women that make women way too concerned and stressed about their looks. However, the saviour is none other than the watermelon that helps to reduce the effect of skin pigmentation. Watermelon boosts digestion keeping bowel movements smooth which helps to get glowing and healthy skin.

12. Relieves swollen hands and feet

Swollen hands and feet or we can call it Edema which is caused due to poor blood circulation in your hands and feet giving you puffy and swollen effect. Watermelon is a great food to add in to your diet during pregnancy that helps to alleviate and reduce swelling increasing the blood circulation due to the presence of L-citrulline, an amino acid in it.

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