It's pretty much one of my very favourite things about summer.
But it turns out watermelon is not just a delicious juicy warm-weather treat.
Nope, think again. Watermelon, as it turns out, is both a versatile and super-healthy fruit, and, according to experts, actually the perfect snack if you are pregnant.
According to
Parents.com, watermelon eases heartburn and reduces swelling; and it doesn't even end there. Watermelon's high water content (a whopping 92 percent) and fruit sugars can actually help ease morning sickness and dehydration, and the minerals the fruit contains can even help prevent third-trimester muscle cramps.
What's more, scientists have discovered that watermelon is packed with vitamins A, C and B6, as well as potassium and magnesium, all nutrients which are important for the development of your baby's vision, brain, nervous and immune systems, and more. For you, potassium regulates water balance in the blood and body tissues during pregnancy. And you get all these benefits for less than 50 calories per cup.
Steven Pratt, M.D., author of
SuperFoods Rx, also explains in his book that ounce for ounce, watermelon is, in fact, 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 – which is, of course, a great reason to include plenty of watermelon in your summer diet.
Even better news for pregnant women: A study in the
International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that daily lycopene supplements reduced the incidents of preeclampsia by a whopping 50 percent.
In other words; if you are looking for a healthy, refreshing snack – you know what to get, mums!
