The purpose of detoxification is the removal of harmful toxins from your body, including pollutants, heavy metals, and other harmful substances that can harm your health. The body is naturally adapted to eliminate these toxins through the kidneys, liver, digestive system, and lungs (10).
With the aim of promoting the process of detoxification, an increasing number of people are now trying several detoxification methods. The most popular of these is drinking widely sold detox teas. Although it is believed that this helps efficiently get rid of toxins from your body, the actual detox tea facts are that your body doesn’t need any outside help eliminating toxins. Unlike their name suggests, detox teas are not much help in the process of detoxification (11).
Other popular detoxification methods include fasting, sugar detox, or natural detoxification done by eating only a certain food or fruit for some time. One of the most popular of these is the watermelon detox. This is a natural detox method that requires you to eat only watermelon for a certain length of time to supposedly expel the toxins from your body. In reality, none of these practices actually affect the body’s ability to eliminate toxins and it does this on its own, regardless of what you eat or drink.
Let’s go through some details about watermelon detox and find out how much of it is fact and how much is a fad.
A watermelon detox is a short-term, incredibly restrictive diet. Watermelon is a fruit that has a high water content, approximately 92%, and keeps your body hydrated (3).
This diet involves a period of 3 days of watermelon detox. During these days, you eat watermelon only as the main component of your meals throughout the day (8). Some variations can be made by adding other fruits and vegetables to the diet, but processed and high-calorie foods must be avoided.
After the detox days or detox period, some people switch back to their normal diet at once and others do it gradually. Detoxes and restrictive diets like this are not healthy or balanced, they don’t actually “detox” your body, and they should not be done long-term or without consulting a healthcare provider.
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Watermelon is a low-calorie fruit that is filled with many minerals and nutrients. It has a considerably high amount of vitamins A, B6, and C, and the antioxidant lycopene(7). All these nutrients and minerals help your body function properly. Lycopene in particular is a natural antioxidant that is responsible for the red in watermelon..
Lycopene may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease (13).
As watermelon is a low-calorie fruit that provides fiber and a high proportion of water, including it as part of a healthy balanced diet can be beneficial for weight loss. However, eating it only as the primary food source is not healthy or balanced and will not provide all the nutrients the body needs to function.
There are some potential risks associated with the watermelon detox diet. As you eat only watermelon for a certain period, your body does not get many of the required essential nutrients to function properly. These diets, particularly when prolonged, come with a high risk of nutrient deficiencies. It is not safe for children, adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those with certain medical conditions to practice “detoxing” or follow restrictive diets. As the benefits are few, it isn’t recommended for anyone to do a watermelon detox or any other type of detox. If you do decide to try it anyway, it’s important to consult your healthcare provider first(8).
The watermelon detox diet is done in mainly two stages. There are many versions out there with some slight variations. The first stage mainly involves consuming only watermelon, as a juice salad or raw, for a specific period. Normally, the duration is 3 days.
Once this period is over, you can return to your normal diet. This can be done immediately or gradually. You can start by adding lighter meals to your diet while still eating watermelon as a snack. Some people repeat this watermelon detox meal plan every few months or when they feel the need to “cleanse” their bodies.
Watermelon can be a great, nutritious, and healthy snack as part of a balanced diet. Here are some interesting ways to consume watermelon:
Read more: Armpit Detox: Why People Do it, Whether it Works & How to Do It
As explained above, watermelon is a low-calorie fruit that may help with weight loss as part of a healthy balanced diet. Furthermore, the natural antioxidants that are found in watermelon and lycopene and its high water content make it a nutritious addition to any meal or snack.
At the same time, lycopene may also provide many other benefits, such as maintaining blood pressure, reducing the risk of chronic disease, and nourishing a healthier heart (7). The water content will also keep you hydrated and feeling full for longer while improving digestion (2).
However, no food or beverage can remove toxins from the body – your body does this on its own without any interference from you.
All fruits are great additions to a healthy balanced diet. They provide fiber, water, and essential vitamins and minerals. They make excellent, weight-loss-friendly snacks.
No specific food or beverage will have an impact on your body’s natural detoxification capabilities. Restrictive “detox” diets, even if they are based around nutrient-dense fruits or vegetables, are not healthy or balanced and do not “detox” your body.
There are some popular detox drinks and although they have no actual detoxification benefits, they can provide hydration and flavor without any added sugars. Here are some examples:
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Eating that much of anything is a lot. If you eat 1 kg of watermelon in a day, you aren’t likely to have room for many other nutritious foods, which means you won’t get enough of many of the nutrients you need to function (1).
Eating only watermelon for 3 days means you will not get all the nutrients you need to function and feel your best. You’re likely to feel fatigued, irritable, and hungry.
Watermelon is a low-calorie fruit, so it can help you lose belly fat as part of a healthy balanced diet. Replacing a high-calorie snack with watermelon means you’ll be eating fewer calories, but you’ll feel fuller due to the high water content. As a result, you may end up losing weight over time, which will cause you to lose fat from many parts of your body, including your belly fat.
Watermelon does contain some natural sugars. How much sugar you get through eating watermelon depends on how much watermelon you consume. One cup of watermelon, which is 152 grams, is said to contain approximately 9.42 grams of natural sugars and 11.5 grams of carbohydrates (9). Natural sugars don’t need to be limited in the same way added sugars do, but if you’re on medication that requires you to count your carbohydrate intake, it is helpful to be aware of the numbers.
Detoxification is the process of cleansing your body and is carried out by your body on its own. Several methods claim to help boost the process and help when you have consumed too much processed food, but this is not true.
Watermelon detox is one of these methods. It involves eating only watermelon as your main meal for a certain period. Watermelon has a high water content and many vitamins and nutrients, which makes it a nutritious addition to a healthy balanced diet, but eating only watermelon for any period of time is not healthy and will not provide all the nutrients you require to function properly.
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