Melon is a sweet, outwardly attractive fruit with a special delicate taste. The representative of Asia has beneficial trace elements and vitamins. Natural saccharides are easily absorbed by the body, so its calorie content is low. But melon is contraindicated for diabetics, its glycemic index is quite high. Exotic ripe product is often consumed fresh. The most popular varieties in Russia are Kolkhoznitsa and Torpedo.
General characteristics of melon
For our compatriots, one of the most popular gourds is melon. The glycemic index, which rises with the use of melons, should alert those who suffer from diabetes. For the rest, melon is a storehouse of nutrients. An increase in demand for a product is always natural in the summer. Melon is popular for its sweet, juicy taste. In the responsible centers of the brain, when the fetus is consumed, a “hormone of happiness” is produced that raises the mood.
Melon belongs to the pumpkin family, cucumbers are its closest relatives, therefore, it is a vegetable. In botany, the fruit is called pumpkin. It has a different shape, it depends on the variety. It can be cylindrical, spherical. Color - yellow, white, brown, green, often with a pattern or stripes. Inside are seeds, white flesh. Weight can reach 20 kg, but on average the fruit weighs from 2 to 10 kg. The Russians are accessible mainly the Uzbek melon Torpeda and ripening in the middle zone of the collective farmer or Cossack. There is a variety of bitter melon - Mamordica, ripening in tropical conditions.
The benefits of melon for the body
Melon in its composition has water 40%, melon cousin watermelon - 90%. It contains proteins, starch, fructose, sucrose, carbohydrates. It consists of dietary fiber. The healing properties are manifested due to the content of phosphorus, iron, magnesium, silicon, calcium, etc. The groups of vitamins are also diverse: C, PP, B1, B2, E, A. The benefits of melon for the body are its complex effects. Calcium strengthens bone tissue, it is also necessary for the work of the heart and blood vessels. Enzymes contained in the melon contribute to blood formation, the fetus is useful for anemia. Diuretic properties allow the use of melon in the treatment of the bladder. With regular use of the product, cholesterol is excreted from the body. Silicon, which is in excess here, has a positive effect on the brain, then on the nervous system. All physiological processes in the body return to normal. Ascorbic acid will help increase immunity, so in the summer it is simply necessary to stock up on vitamin C, consuming a sufficient amount of melon. The product is recommended to patients after surgery, it helps restore blood volume.
Contraindications
No matter how good this product is, it has certain contraindications, they can cause harm to some people. As mentioned above, melon is not recommended for those who suffer from diabetes mellitus or gastric ulcer. You can include it in the diet (in small quantities), provided that other carbohydrates are excluded from the menu. Melon, whose glycemic index is 65, dramatically raises blood glucose levels. Easily digestible sugar (pectin) is contained in the product 13%. Nursing mothers are also not recommended to consume melon. Mother's milk, which contains melon enzymes, can cause colic in a baby. As nutritionists note, this product cannot be combined with proteins (milk, nuts). In this case, allergic reactions occur, as well as gastric problems. It is better to eat melon raw between meals, do not combine with other products.
Melon: calories and glycemic index
If you compare melon with other products, then it is worth saying that its calorie content is very small. However, this product is considered a natural energy drink, as it contains fast-digesting sugar called pectin. It is absorbed quickly enough, and this contributes to a sharp jump in blood sugar. If we consider the glycemic index of watermelon and melon, then melon wins in this indicator - 65, for a watermelon the index above is 72.
So how many calories are in a melon? First of all, it depends on the variety. In our country, the most common are Torpedo and Kolkhoznitsa. There are no big differences between them, but if you choose a fruit specifically for a diet, then you know that 100 grams of product in a collective farmer has 30 calories, while in Torpedo - 38.
For weight loss, there are many diets that include melon in the diet. Proper compliance allows you to get rid of several kilograms in a week. The main feature of the diet is small but frequent portions. Do not forget that melon has a weak diuretic effect, so do not forget to drink more water (up to 3 liters per day). The essence of this diet is unloading and rest for the entire digestive tract. Knowing the calorie content of a melon, everyone can create an individual diet for himself, which is suitable for your body.
Melon Torpedo
Those who chose the melon on the market on their own probably noticed that varieties differ from each other in shape, color, color. The main component, of course, is the pulp itself. The sweetest melon is the Torpedo variety, so its calorie content is higher than that of others, in 100 grams - 38 kcal. If we compare it with 15% kefir, we can conclude that the latter is much more caloric. Therefore, the torpedo is classified as a dietary product. Those who follow their figure can safely include it in their diet. The torpedo melon glycemic index is 68, and people with diabetes should pay attention to this.
Melon Collective Farm Girl
If you select a melon variety in order to include it in a diet for weight loss, then you can safely give preference to the collective farmer. At the first test, you can immediately determine that this variety is more tender, does not have such a sugary-sweet taste as Torpedo. Accordingly, the calorie content of the product will be lower: per 100 g - 30 kcal. The glycemic index of melon Kolkhoznitsa is also slightly lower than that of the Torpedo, at 65. Diabetics can afford to include Kolkhoznitsa in the menu if other carbohydrates are excluded from the diet.
What to consider
We draw the main conclusions that must be considered when eating this sweet juicy fruit, so as not to harm your health:
- Varieties with a low sugar content have a low calorie content, but thanks to pectins - a high glycemic index. The result is a sharp, albeit short-term, increase in blood glucose. Patients with type 2 diabetes, with obesity, get a positive effect (weight loss), but there are adverse fluctuations in blood glucose levels. The reason for this is melon, whose glycemic index is quite high. It is worth considering this.
- For patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, melon is allowed, but observing the principles of diet. The main requirement in this case is the amount of carbohydrates should fully correspond to the consumed dose of insulin, as well as physical activity.
- For all, eating melon is recommended in the morning. No need to combine it with other products. It causes a sharp stimulation of the intestines. It is better to avoid co-digesting with other foods.
- Consider the amount of carbohydrates consumed in the food diary.
What is the glycemic index (GI)
The glycemic index shows how much blood glucose levels can rise with certain foods. Who cares about keeping track of this? To everyone. But especially for those who want to lose weight or suffer from endocrine diseases. The glycemic index determines how quickly the body breaks down carbohydrates to sugars, which we need to get energy.
What does the glycemic index scale say? This indicator is measured from 1 unit to 100. The less carbohydrates in products, the lower this indicator. Low GI values indicate that the product does not cause fluctuations in blood sugar. Average GI values moderate glucose levels. High GI readings cause sudden spikes in sugar, while insulin levels rise, and the body begins to accumulate body fat.
It can be concluded that preference should be given to those products that have lower GI values. From these products, carbohydrates are evenly converted to energy, while from high GI carbohydrates are absorbed instantly. If these products are abused, the body begins to store energy, that is, accumulate it in body fat.
Glycemic Index Table
Now consider the main list of products with a glycemic index. It will allow you to properly form your menu.
Low GI Products:
- Kefir - 15.
- Peanuts, different nuts - 15.
- Soybean - 16.
- Beans - 19.
- Cranberries, lingonberries, cherries, fructose - 20.
- Dark chocolate, berries - 25.
- Skim milk - 32.
- Low Fat Yogurt - 33.
- Bran bread - 35.
- Barley Bread - 38.
- Buckwheat porridge, oatmeal, dates, gooseberries - 40.
- Spaghetti, pasta, oranges, tangerines - 42.
Medium GI Products:
- Peas, apricots, peaches - 43.
- Kvass, beer - 45.
- Grapes - 46.
- Rice - 47.
- Barley flakes, kiwi, mango - 50.
- Canned Beans - 52.
- Buckwheat, oatmeal cookies, oat bran - 55.
- Boiled potatoes - 56.
- Melon - 65.
- Raisins, dried fruits - 67.
- Mashed potatoes, corn, white rice - 70.
High GI Products:
- Watermelon - 72.
- Wheat bread, french fries - 75.
- Caramel, corn flakes - 80.
- Honey - 88.
- Puffed rice - 94.
- Maltose -105.
- Glucose - 100.