watermelon, fattening?

jj112
jj112 Posts: 5
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! i would really like to find out if watermelon is good or bad for you. my friend had gone to a nutrtionist a while back and she told her to avoid watermelon as it is packed with suagrs. yes i guess we all know fruit contains a high amount of sugar but isnt it the healthy type and fruit in general is low in calories ... so should i avoid it?

Thanks =)))))

Replies

  • alexmommy
    alexmommy Posts: 76 Member
    Depends on what your friend saw the nutritionist for. If it was something diabetes related, then yes they will tell you to watch your intake of fruit. Regardless of it being good or bad sugar, sugar is still sugar. Everything in moderation.
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I know someone will) but I do not think sugars in fruit is the same as processed sugar. I eat lots of fruit but I make sure to pair with a protein. Let me put it this way, an apple or piece of watermelon is better than a snickers bar. We all know fruit is not the reason we're fat.
  • briabner
    briabner Posts: 427 Member
    Watermelon is a natural dierutic (sp?) also I just heard on a local news about healthy living that watermelon can actually help lower your top number of you blood pressure

    I would say eat it, and I dont think that it is fattening at all. Just dont eat a whole watermelon in one sitting and I think you should be ok lol!
  • allmanro
    allmanro Posts: 22 Member
    LOL so true!
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I know someone will) but I do not think sugars in fruit is the same as processed sugar. I eat lots of fruit but I make sure to pair with a protein. Let me put it this way, an apple or piece of watermelon is better than a snickers bar. We all know fruit is not the reason we're fat.

    Agreed. My dad was in the hospital recently for some infections. He's a cancer patient and also a borderline, diet-controlled diabetic, and one of his complications was that his blood sugar had spiked to over 500, and it took weeks to get it back below 200, but despite being placed on a restrictive diabetic diet in the hospital, he was ALWAYS allowed to eat fruit if he wanted it.

    I don't know anyone who can legitimately say "I'm fat because I ate too much fruit." It just doesn't happen.
  • I mean if it helps you avoid eating the chocolate chip cookies and you are counting the calories, etc. I don't know why you should avoid it. (maybe if you are diabetic like alexmommy mentioned). We go through a watermelon a week in my house between me, my husband, and 3 kids. It's great straight out of the fridge after a hot run outside. Plus, we often use it in place of dessert.
  • I mean if it helps you avoid eating the chocolate chip cookies and you are counting the calories, etc. I don't know why you should avoid it. (maybe if you are diabetic like alexmommy mentioned). We go through a watermelon a week in my house between me, my husband, and 3 kids. It's great straight out of the fridge after a hot run outside. Plus, we often use it in place of dessert.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I know someone will) but I do not think sugars in fruit is the same as processed sugar. I eat lots of fruit but I make sure to pair with a protein. Let me put it this way, an apple or piece of watermelon is better than a snickers bar. We all know fruit is not the reason we're fat.
    This is true but even too much of a good thing can be bad for you. For most of us yes, fruit is god, but as the poster mentioned to a diabetic, even the sugar in watermelon can be a bad thing.

    Back to the OPs question, not watermelon is not fattening. It's actually fairly low in sugar compared to other fruits. Here's the thing,sure you get a bit of sugar with fruit, but you also get the fiber that comes along with it. So yes even though it has sugar, that watermelon is leaps and bounds above the snickers bar in terms of nutrition.
  • TCASMEY
    TCASMEY Posts: 1,405 Member
    Watermelon, raw (edible parts)
    Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) 30 calories
    Energy 127 kJ (30 kcal)
    Carbohydrates 7.55 g
    - Sugars 6.2 g
    - Dietary fiber 0.4 g
    Fat 0.15 g
    Protein 0.61 g
    Water 91.45 g
    Vitamin A equiv. 28 μg (3%)
    Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.033 mg (3%)
    Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.021 mg (1%)
    Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.178 mg (1%)
    Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.221 mg (4%)
    Vitamin B6 0.045 mg (3%)
    Folate (Vit. B9) 3 μg (1%)
    Vitamin C 8.1 mg (14%)
    Calcium 7 mg (1%)
    Iron 0.24 mg (2%)
    Magnesium 10 mg (3%)
    Phosphorus 11 mg (2%)
    Potassium 112 mg (2%)
    Zinc 0.1

    I just looked this up for another thread. Looks pretty good to me. Just remember portion control.
  • LauraLLee
    LauraLLee Posts: 210
    Here is a small article I found online:
    Overview
    As a fresh, natural food with a low calorie count and an abundance of vitamins and minerals, watermelon is a healthy choice to serve at any meal. However, even eating too much of a nutritious food can become a problem if you neglect balance in your diet as a result.

    Nutrition Facts
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 1 cup of diced watermelon has approximately 45 calories, 1 g protein, 11.5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 9.5 g sugar and no fat, cholesterol or sodium. Watermelon is also a natural source of vitamin C, vitamin B-6, potassium and lycopene, an antioxidant that may help prevent health conditions including heart disease and cancer.

    5 Foods you must not eat: Cut down a bit of stomach fat every day by never eating these 5 foods. Naviibk.com
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    Health Benefits
    Watermelon isn't the only fruit that has positive health properties, however, so it's worth branching out if it limits the scope of your diet. For example, watermelon is relatively low in fiber among fruits, and eating others, as well as plenty of vegetables, can improve your digestive health. Varying the fruits and veggies you eat every day can also help guard against the development of kidney stones, bone loss, stroke and diabetes, according to MyPyramid.gov, but watermelon by itself may not bring all of those benefits.

    Too Much of a Good Thing
    Even though watermelon is fat-free and low in calories, eating too much of it can interfere with weight loss and weight maintenance efforts. Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNN.com's physician nutritionist specialist, recommends limiting yourself to three servings of fruit per day if you're trying to lose weight. "While the sugar in fruit is healthier than refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup, it still contains the same number of calories per serving, so it cannot be consumed in unlimited quantities," Jampolis says. Terese Scollard, registered dietitian and manager for Providence Nutrition Services, agrees. "If you go overboard on one kind of food, you'll miss out on the valuable properties of other healthy foods," she says.

    Considerations
    Following a balanced and varied diet is the key to providing your body with the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs to stay as healthy as possible. Rather than focusing too heavily on any one food, aim for a balance among the five main food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and proteins, and speak with your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have any concerns about the diet you follow.



    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/448537-can-you-eat-too-much-watermelon/#ixzz1OWYbjbGb
  • TCASMEY
    TCASMEY Posts: 1,405 Member
    Watermelon, raw (edible parts)
    Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) 30 calories
    Energy 127 kJ (30 kcal)
    Carbohydrates 7.55 g
    - Sugars 6.2 g
    - Dietary fiber 0.4 g
    Fat 0.15 g
    Protein 0.61 g
    Water 91.45 g
    Vitamin A equiv. 28 μg (3%)
    Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.033 mg (3%)
    Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.021 mg (1%)
    Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.178 mg (1%)
    Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.221 mg (4%)
    Vitamin B6 0.045 mg (3%)
    Folate (Vit. B9) 3 μg (1%)
    Vitamin C 8.1 mg (14%)
    Calcium 7 mg (1%)
    Iron 0.24 mg (2%)
    Magnesium 10 mg (3%)
    Phosphorus 11 mg (2%)
    Potassium 112 mg (2%)
    Zinc 0.1

    I just looked this up for another thread. Looks pretty good to me. Just remember portion control.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Hi! i would really like to find out if watermelon is good or bad for you. my friend had gone to a nutrtionist a while back and she told her to avoid watermelon as it is packed with suagrs. yes i guess we all know fruit contains a high amount of sugar but isnt it the healthy type and fruit in general is low in calories ... so should i avoid it?

    Thanks =)))))

    Watermelon if very healthy. First of all it's mostly water (hence the name) so it fills you up without adding a lot of calories. The doctor may have told your friend that based on the high glycemic index of watermelon. Glycemic Index is based on the type of sugar contained in foods and how quickly it is metabolized. The sugar in watermelon is a simple sugar and so it gets a high glycemic index. But watermelon contains very little sugar so it has a very low Glycemic Load, which is measured not only by the type of sugar but also the amount. It's a better a way to measure. Carrots for example also have simple sugars and get a high GI, but they also have very little sugar and so get a low GL. The nutritional value far outweighs the small amount of sugar.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I know someone will) but I do not think sugars in fruit is the same as processed sugar. I eat lots of fruit but I make sure to pair with a protein. Let me put it this way, an apple or piece of watermelon is better than a snickers bar. We all know fruit is not the reason we're fat.

    Agreed. My dad was in the hospital recently for some infections. He's a cancer patient and also a borderline, diet-controlled diabetic, and one of his complications was that his blood sugar had spiked to over 500, and it took weeks to get it back below 200, but despite being placed on a restrictive diabetic diet in the hospital, he was ALWAYS allowed to eat fruit if he wanted it.

    I don't know anyone who can legitimately say "I'm fat because I ate too much fruit." It just doesn't happen.

    Just to clarify, as I have been instructed, diabetics do not need to watch their "sugar" intake (per say) any more than anyone else. It is not sugar that causes diabetes, though it certainly may contribute due to the carbs and empty calories they contain. Carbs are the culprit. Too many carbs, especially useless, "bad" carbs will raise a diabetics blood sugar levels to unhealthy heights.
  • lesliefoste
    lesliefoste Posts: 137 Member
    Watermelon is aptly named- it's mostly water. :) One cup has about 9 grams of sugar, which is low, even for fruit. It is also fat free, and has some fiber and water (like most fruits), which makes you feel fuller. If you eat it fresh, it has no nasty chemicals to preserve it. Overall, a very healthy snack.

    It's true that natural sugars are better for you than refined sugars, but natural sugar is still sugar to your body, so it should be eaten in moderation. But compare- a Snickers bar has 280 calories, 30 grams of sugar, 14 grams of fat, and no fiber. A cup of watermelon has 45 calories, 9 grams of sugar, no fat, and is high in Vitamin C and potassium. A much better choice.

    And besides, when was the last time you heard someone say, "I wish I could lose this weight; it's just that I can't keep from eating watermelon!!" ? :)
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    Yep, you don't want to go overboard with sugars of any kind (natural or no), but choosing foods for a healthy lifestyle is about more than just whether or not they are fattening. Fruit and veggies are so, so important for their nutrients, and they've been linked to prevention against several types of cancer and maybe even aging. Watermelon is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, some B vitamins and lycopene! Definitely worth a bit of sugar...within moderation, of course. :)
  • phenrichs
    phenrichs Posts: 102
    Fortunately I am not diabetic and LOVE watermelon. We too use it in place of desserts in our house. The only negative from eating too much that I have found lies in its name, "water",melon. Frequent trips to the potty.
  • amaczu
    amaczu Posts: 23 Member
    If you're watching your carbs, know that Watermelon has a very high Glycemic Index of 72...meaning that it spikes your blood sugar as much as white bread does. By contrast, Apples have a GI of 38, Oranges a GI of 42, and most berries are around there as well.

    It takes around 4 cups of watermelon to reach that high of a GI though, so eaten in moderation it's ok. It probably shouldn't be your go-to snack when trying to lose weight.
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