Every summer, whether you are down the beach, in your house or in a restaurant, you are bombarded with offers for eating this delicious watermelon fruit. They are just everywhere!
Really they are the perfect summer fruit. They have high water content, which helps in getting rid of thirst.
I am sure you will agree that watermelons are very tasty on top of being refreshing. But they are very healthy for you too!
In essence, they contain high amounts of Vitamins A, C, and B6. They also contain potassium.
As these benefits were not enough, you’ll find that this fruit holds unique plant chemical properties. These include citrulline and lycopene. And you guessed it, these chemicals are really good for our health.
Though watermelon is really good for you, like everything else you should not eat a great proportion of it. Excessive consumption of this fruit can create health problems for your body.
Below are 10 side effects of this fantastic fruit that you may encounter if you consume a great proportion of it.
The 10 Side Effects Of Watermelon:
Similar to the great benefits watermelon can have on your body, there are several components in this fruit that can cause negative side effects. Here are 10 of these:
1. Watermelon Intestinal Disturbance:
As said above, watermelons are rich in lycopene. So if you eat of a lot of this fruit on a daily basis you may end up with great discomfort.
It is known that consuming lycopene in large quantities may lead to nausea, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion and intestinal gases. The older you get, the worse the symptoms can be as digestive systems of older people tend to weaken with age.
2. Cardiovascular Disorders:
Potassium is one of the great benefits of watermelon. Its high level is really good for your body, but yet again consuming potassium enriched food in large quantities may have an adverse effect on your heart.
It can simply lead to cardiovascular problems. Some side effects examples of high intake of potassium are the absent or weak heart pulse!
You may also end up with irregular heartbeats and sometimes cardiac arrest, etc.
But if you really eat to excessively this fruit, then it may also affect your body motor control and nervous system.
3. Not Good For Diabetics:
Bad news for diabetics. If you are an individual with insulin-resistant dysfunction, then your blood sugar level tends to stay put in the blood.
Simply put, it does not enter into your body cells.
In this situation, the shortfall of glucose in the cells will lead to a higher amount of insulin being manufactured. You’ll end up with both insulin and sugar remaining in the blood. This will in turn greatly affect the triglyceride levels in your body.
As watermelon is full of natural sugar, it can cause a spike in the sugar level of your body. This is the reason behind the need for diabetics to avoid consuming watermelon.
4. Blood Pressure Level drop:
Scientists have demonstrated that a high consumption of watermelon can lead to a drop in your body’s blood pressure level. So if you are amongst individuals who suffer from low blood pressure, it would be best to avoid eating this fruit in all its forms.
5. Watermelon Allergic Reactions:
Watermelon allergies have been found to occur. These can be severe, but in most cases, they produce mild rashes, anaphylaxis and some form of facial swelling.
The most likely people to contract these are the ones who have already develop some allergies to carrots, latex, and cucumber.
6. Fruit To Be Avoid During Pregnancy:
Many pregnant women develop what is known as gestational diabetes. Though this is highly common, it can produce some serious health issues.
So if you are a high consumer of watermelons, you’ll definitely increase your blood sugar level. You may, therefore, end up with gestational diabetes, and I can tell you it is not fun at all.
So, it would be advisable for any pregnant women to stop eating watermelon for a few months to avoid any discomfort! It is always better to be safe than sorry.
7. Loose Stools:
Sorbitol is a special type of sugar and watermelon is full of it. If you are intolerant to sorbitol, then avoid this fruit. The side effect of eating watermelon will be to develop loose stools and gas.
8. Problems Related To Nerves And Muscles:
Nerve, muscle and kidney problems can be caused by excessive eating of watermelon. As said, to be consumed with moderation.
9. Man Impotence:
This is for the men. One of the proven side effects of excessive watermelon intake can cause impotence. It also can cause erectile dysfunction in men. Fortunately, this is just temporarily, but would you take the risk?
10. Watermelon Fatigue:
Consuming watermelons in high quantities can dramatically increase the water quantity in your body. Sometimes the excess intake water is not excreted from your body. This can lead to an increase in the volume of your body’s blood.
When you develop this condition, then it can worsen your body function and lead to leg swelling as well as exhaustion and fatigue.
In conclusion
Watermelon is definitely good for you. However, you’ll need to mind that it is the quantities that matter.
Anytime you eat this fruit, be mindful of your portion size!
Because it is a fresh ingredient, we all tend to forget and consume too much of it — Yes I know, it is just so tasty!
Now that you know about the side effects of watermelon, I am sure that you’ll be eating it in small quantities.
Note that if you notice any of the above 10 side effects, do not wait and report these to your doctor right away.
If you enjoy watermelon; and if you have ever experienced a side effect, then it would be great if you could share it with us in the below comment section.