Watermelon diet: what is it and is it good for you? – GOOD SHAPE

You’ve had the soup diet, the moon diet, the coconut oil diet, and now it’s time for the watermelon diet. Is eating watermelon all day, with every meal, for several days a good idea? Next, find out what the watermelon diet is and if it’s right for you.

WHAT IS THE WATERMELON DIET?

In reality, there is no defined “protocol” on the “watermelon diet”.

According to Antonella Turci, functional and integrative clinical nutritionist, what exists are dietary strategies, in which people prioritize watermelon consumption at all meal times for a certain period of days. Usually 3 to 7 days.

“Adherents to this strategy believe in the detoxification of the organism”, comments Antonella.

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WHY WATERMELON?

There’s no shortage of good reasons to add fruit to your eating routine.

For starters, watermelon is made up of 92% water and is rich in vitamins A and C and minerals such as potassium, lycopene and other antioxidants. In addition to having low caloric value.

Its pulp is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid (nutrient that forms protein), and in lycopene. The latter is responsible for the fruit’s reddish color and is an antioxidant that has been linked to a lower risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to recent studies.

Its bark is rich in soluble fiber, which is important for regulating intestinal function. And its seeds are full of vegetable calcium.

IS THE WATERMELON DIET HEALTHY?

As much as watermelon is a fruit full of nutrients, is it healthy to limit your diet to its consumption?

Technically, no.

“It is not “healthy” a dietary behavior in which an individual, even in a short period of time, ingests only one food. If you only consume watermelon, you will be “losing” many macro and micronutrients that a complete diet has to offer”, explains Antonella.

Still according to the nutritionist, assuming that the “watermelon diet” eliminates toxins from the body is questionable, since the body has a natural detoxification system thanks to the physiological functions of the liver and kidneys. “There is no scientific evidence that a “single” food is responsible for the metabolic detoxification process, not even watermelon,” she stresses.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF ADOPTING THE WATERMELON DIET?

Antonella claims that eating a single food with minimal calories can lead to hypoglycemia (a drop in blood sugar) and hypotension (a drop in blood pressure), especially in people with diabetes or blood pressure problems.

In addition, side effects such as fatigue, dizziness, lethargy, nausea and headaches may occur.

Furthermore, from the reintroduction of other foods into the day-to-day routine, it is likely that the individual will regain part or even all of the weight lost. “These very restrictive strategies do not work changes in behavior, so they are not definitive”, concludes the nutritionist.