The health benefits of watermelon during pregnancy

There are many health benefits associated with watermelon and it can be very beneficial during pregnancy. Traditionally, this fruit was thought of as a long standing member at traditional summertime barbeques. Now days, watermelon is used in many different recipes including salads, sauces, smoothies, sorbets, and other types of desserts.

Watermelon is a good source ofVitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium. A one cup serving of this fruit is less than 50 calories. When selecting a watermelon to purchase, make sure that it is heavy in weight and that the rind is smooth. It shouldn’t be too dull or too glossy and there should be a cream or yellow colored spot on one side. This represents the side that was resting on the ground. If it doesn’t have that underbelly color it may have been harvested too soon and the fruit won’t be as juicy or tasteful.

“If you're pregnant, the benefits are even more delicious. Watermelon eases heartburn and reduces swelling; its high water content (92 percent) and fruit sugars alleviate morning sickness and dehydration; and the minerals it contains can help prevent third-trimester muscle cramps. Ounce for ounce, watermelon is richer than tomatoes in lycopene, an antioxidant that protects against cancer and cardiovascular disease, boosts the body's immunity to infections and naturally raises the skin's SPF, according to Steven Pratt, M.D., author of SuperFoods Rx (HarperCollins, 2003).”

Fit Pregnancy reports, “A 2003 study in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that daily lycopene supplements reduced the incidence of preeclampsia by 50 percent. Test subjects were given 4 milligrams of lycopene; a single serving of watermelon can have triple that amount.”