Watermelon is useful due to the high content of vitamins (groups B, D, C, E), trace elements and minerals. The large amount of pectin and fiber in it contribute to improving the functions of the digestive tract. Due to the fact that watermelon is 99% water, it quenches thirst well and has a diuretic effect. It is indicated for renal pathology, which eventually develops in diabetes mellitus, as well as for small calculi and "sand" present in the kidneys. Large stones are a contraindication to the use of watermelon, since it can provoke renal colic.
Calculation of dietary products for diabetes
Diabetic patients should be low in carbohydrates: this supports normal blood sugar levels. When compiling a diet, the glycemic index of products (GI) is taken into account. Its caloric value and glycemic load (GN) are calculated without fail.
Glycemic Food Index
The glycemic index is a measure of the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream after eating food or drinks. Primarily taken into account in the preparation of the diet for diabetes of the second type:
• Diabetic products include those with a GI of no higher than 50 units.
• With GI up to 69 units - the use of the product is allowed no more than 2 times a week (as an exception) in an amount not exceeding 100 grams.
• GI> 70 leads to a sharp jump in sugar (hyperglycemia) and a deterioration in general condition.
• The activity of pure glucose is accepted for 100 units.
The higher the GI, the stronger the feeling of hunger and more appetite. Usually carbohydrates in foods with low GI (up to 50 units) are broken down slowly, so their conversion to energy occurs gradually. During this time, the body manages to spend the allocated energy resource, and the level of glycemia remains stable. From food with a GI> 70 units, carbohydrates are absorbed at such a high rate that even with great physical exertion, the body does not have time to realize all the released energy. Therefore, the level of glucose in the blood increases sharply, and a certain portion of carbohydrates is converted into fat accumulations.
Therefore, the lower the GI of the products, the more easily glucose can be controlled. Quickly digestible carbohydrates must be reduced to zero. Preference is given to products containing fructose.
Glycemic load
Glycemic load (GN) is a new indicator that determines the effect of eaten food on the amount of blood glucose. It is used to determine the most dangerous foods that, after their consumption, hold a high concentration of sugar in the blood for as long as possible. Glycemic load is determined per 100 g of product and there are three levels:
• high - 20 carbohydrates;
• average - 11-20;
• low GN - up to 10 carbohydrates.
The permissible daily amount of fruits and berries with a low GN indicator for diabetes is not more than 200 g per day.
To know exactly if watermelon can be used in diabetes, it is necessary to study its glycemic index, glycemic load and take into account its calorie content.
Watermelon Performance:
1. GI - 75 units (a high indicator, which means that in a short time there will be a sharp feeling of hunger and you will have to make an unplanned snack).
2. GN - 4 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of product (low level).
3. Calorie content - 38 kcal per 100 g of product t (low rates).
Based on these data, with the use of watermelon in the human body:
• due to high GI, the sugar concentration rises rapidly;
• Given the low glycemic load (GN), a high glycemic rate will not last long.
Is watermelon possible in diabetes, taking into account its composition
When compiling a daily diet, it is necessary to take into account that 100 g of watermelon is contained;
• 0.7 g of protein;
• 0.2 g of fat;
• 8.8 g of carbohydrates (of which 2.4 g of glucose and 4.4 fructose);
• everything else is fiber and water.
The main part of sugar in a watermelon is fructose. In its splitting, insulin is not involved. But fructose is not completely harmless to humans. Compared with glucose, it is more processed into fats and stored "in reserve". The content in the daily diet of more than 90 g of fructose leads to obesity, and its constant use can cause diabetes in a previously healthy person. Again, the appetite of these people increases, which leads to obesity.
When ingested, fructose does not cause insulin production by the pancreas cells. But in a diabetic, it stimulates an increase in blood glucose, although this happens much more slowly than when eating foods high in sugar. Normal absorption of fructose in diabetes occurs when it is consumed up to 30-40 g per day.
Immediately after consuming watermelon, a person develops fast, but short-term hyperglycemia. This contributes to the release of insulin, which dramatically reduces glucose levels, causing hypoglycemia - a feeling of hunger. For a diabetic, this is a dangerous possible violation of the diet.
The allowed amount of watermelon in type 2 diabetes
With numerous studies and the search for the answer to the question of whether watermelon can be used in diabetes, the limit for the use of this berry was established, which does not harm patients with a disease of the second type: 300 g per day, not more than 100 g at a time. The intake of other carbohydrates must be reduced by the amount contained in the eaten watermelon. This is explained by the fact that the second type of diabetes is accompanied by obesity: because of excess weight, there are much more restrictions on carbohydrates.
In order to avoid unnecessary stress for the body, diabetics are recommended to eat watermelon with bread. This will maintain a normal level of sugar for a longer time and prevent the onset of a feeling of acute hunger. But such a combination is possible only in the absence of intestinal pathology, since it leads to severe flatulence.
Recommended watermelon standards for the first type of disease
Is watermelon possible with diabetes of the first type? The question was studied taking into account the diet necessary for this pathology and its correspondence to bread units (XE). It was established that with the first type of this pathology, it is permissible to use 1 kg of watermelon per day in several doses of 200-300 g without health consequences. The amount of carbohydrates eaten should correspond to the dose of insulin received and the physical activity of the patient. Unlike the second type, blood sugar can be adjusted by the additional administration of insulin, calculating the amount of carbohydrates consumed. In the calculations, the correspondence of 120 -150 g of watermelon to 1 bread unit is taken into account. It depends on the ripeness and variety of the fetus. The entire diet for diabetes is calculated taking into account the bread units that are clearly established for each product and are carefully calculated when compiling the menu using a special table.
Endocrinologists recommend to use watermelon for diabetes, taking into account its beneficial properties, in an amount not exceeding 10 XE per day. At the same time, you need to reduce the consumption of familiar carbohydrates (potatoes or bread) by the same amount. Patients with the first type of diabetes should know how much insulin the body needs to break down 1 XE - then the watermelon can be eaten in authorized quantities without concern.
Given that the course of the disease is individual for each patient, only the doctor in each case will decide whether watermelon is possible with diabetes and in what quantity, and also will give tips on its proper use.
