Juicy and sweet watermelon is a must-eat fruit for people every day in the height of summer. However, watermelon is not suitable for everyone, and even for those who can eat it, there is a scientific way to consume it. Some patients or people in certain situations should avoid eating it. I. Diabetics
Watermelon contains about 5% sugar, mainly glucose, sucrose, and some fructose, which means eating it will raise blood sugar levels. Healthy people can secrete insulin in a timely manner to maintain blood sugar and urine sugar at normal levels. Diabetics, however, are different. Eating too much watermelon in a short time can not only raise blood sugar, but those with more severe conditions may even develop metabolic acidosis, which can be life-threatening. The amount of carbohydrates (sugars) that diabetics eat each day needs to be strictly controlled. Therefore, if watermelon is eaten multiple times in a day, the amount of rice and noodle products (carbohydrates) should be reduced accordingly to avoid worsening the condition. II. Patients with Kidney Insufficiency
Patients with kidney insufficiency have a significantly reduced ability to expel water from the body, so they often experience edema in the lower limbs or the whole body. If these patients eat too much watermelon, they will consume excessive water, which cannot be expelled in time. This leads to an over-storage of water in the body and an increase in blood volume, which not only worsens the edema but can also easily trigger acute heart failure. Therefore, it is better for patients with kidney insufficiency to eat less or no watermelon. III. Early Stage of a Cold
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that in the early stage of a cold, whether it is a wind-cold or wind-heat cold, it belongs to an "exterior syndrome" and should be treated with a method that expels the pathogenic factors from the exterior. It is also believed that attacking the condition before the exterior syndrome is resolved will worsen the illness. Watermelon has the effect of clearing internal heat, so eating it at this time can worsen the cold or prolong its duration. IV. Patients with Oral Ulcers
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, oral ulcers are considered to be caused by yin deficiency and internal heat, with the disturbance of deficient fire. Because watermelon has a diuretic effect, if patients with oral ulcers eat too much of it, the water needed for the ulcers to heal will be excessively excreted, thus worsening the yin deficiency and internal heat, prolonging the course of the disease and making it difficult to heal. V. Postpartum Women
The physical constitution of postpartum women is relatively weak. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that eating too much watermelon can be excessively cold and damage the spleen and stomach. VI. Not Suitable to Eat Before or After Meals
Because the large amount of water in watermelon will dilute the digestive juices in the stomach, eating it before or after meals will affect the digestion and absorption of food. Moreover, eating a large amount of watermelon before a meal will occupy stomach volume, significantly reducing the intake of various nutrients during the meal, which has a greater impact on the health of children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. However, for those who want to lose weight through dieting, eating a little watermelon before a meal is a good method to reduce food intake. VII. Watermelon Should Not Be Eaten in Excess
Because watermelon is a "raw and cold food," eating too much of it can harm the spleen and stomach, leading to poor appetite, indigestion, and decreased gastrointestinal resistance, causing bloating and diarrhea. VIII. Eat Less Iced Watermelon
Although eating iced watermelon is very effective for relieving summer heat, it is very irritating to the stomach and can easily cause damage to the spleen and stomach. Therefore, attention should be paid to controlling the temperature and amount. It is best to place the watermelon in the bottom of the refrigerator's freezer compartment, where the temperature is about 8-10°C. This temperature also provides the best taste. The amount eaten each time should not exceed 500 grams, and it should be eaten slowly. People with cavities, tooth sensitivity that causes pain and aching sensation when exposed to cold, and those with poor gastrointestinal function should not eat iced watermelon.