In the scorching summer, the juicy and sweet watermelon can be considered the most popular "all-natural drink." In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), watermelon is known as the "natural White Tiger Decoction." It is sweet in taste and cold in nature, possessing effects such as clearing heat and relieving summer heat, promoting the production of body fluids to quench thirst, and more. Modern medical research has also found that eating watermelon regularly can have diuretic, appetizing, and metabolism-boosting effects. Although watermelon is great, it's best to limit your daily intake to 200-400 grams, and certain groups of people should eat it even less.
People with oral ulcers: Due to its diuretic effect, if people with oral ulcers eat too much watermelon, it can lead to excessive excretion of water and some minerals from their bodies, which can easily aggravate ulcer symptoms.
Patients in the early stages of a cold: In TCM, colds are divided into two types: wind-cold and wind-heat. In the early stage of a cold, before determining which type you have, eating too much watermelon can likely worsen the cold condition, leading to a deterioration of the illness. If you have already been diagnosed with a wind-heat cold and are experiencing symptoms of internal heat such as high fever and thirst, you can eat a small amount of watermelon to help clear heat and detoxify.
People with indigestion and a weak or cold digestive system: Watermelon is considered a "raw and cold" food. People with indigestion or a cold digestive system who eat too much of it are more likely to damage the spleen and stomach, leading to symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, and increased urination.
Diabetics: Watermelon contains about 5% sugar. If diabetics eat too much watermelon in a short period, it can easily lead to a spike in blood sugar. This group should limit their intake of watermelon to only 100-150 grams at a time and eat it slowly.
Pregnant women: During pregnancy, a woman's body has relatively insufficient insulin, and its ability to stabilize blood sugar decreases. If a pregnant woman eats too much watermelon, consuming excessive sugar can lead to a high concentration of sugar in the blood, which is detrimental to health. Additionally, pregnant women's bodies are relatively weak, and eating too much watermelon can easily damage the spleen and stomach.
People taking certain medications: Watermelon is cooling in nature. People taking "warming" type of Chinese herbal medicines (such as ginseng or astragalus root) who eat too much watermelon may interfere with the medicinal effects of their drugs.
Elderly people: As people age, most tend to have a weak or cold spleen and stomach, as well as poor heart and kidney function. Eating too much watermelon can easily damage the spleen and stomach, causing physical discomfort and harming health.
People who have just exercised: Eating watermelon immediately after a workout, especially chilled watermelon, can easily irritate the digestive tract and harm gastrointestinal health.
Patients with kidney insufficiency: People with kidney insufficiency have difficulty expelling excess water from their bodies. If these patients eat too much watermelon, it not only worsens edema but can also increase the blood volume in their bodies, potentially triggering acute heart failure.
Kind reminder: The editor has detailed above those people who should not eat watermelon in the summer. I hope this information is helpful to everyone.