In China, the most popular fruit in the summer is undoubtedly the watermelon.
In the past two years, when people eat watermelon, they often exclaim: “Why is this watermelon sweeter every year? Is it just my imagination?” Some are also worried that such sweet watermelons might be due to some hormones used to speed up ripening. With such sweetness, can diabetes patients still dare to eat it?
1. Is watermelon getting sweeter due to hormones?
“Watermelons now are indeed sweeter than in the past,”
said Dai Zhaoyi, a researcher and watermelon expert at the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Since the 1950s, the varieties of watermelons in our country have undergone multiple improvements and updates. According to data, 20 years ago, the sugar content of hybrid watermelons was maintained at 10% to 12%. Now, the sugar content of hybrid watermelons generally exceeds 12%.
There are many rumors online suggesting that farmers inject sweeteners into watermelons to make them sweeter. However, Dai Zhaoyi stated that this is impossible.
He and his team previously conducted an experiment where they injected a mixture of blue ink and sugar water into a watermelon with a syringe. They found that while the first injection was easy, the second one was not possible as the needle was blocked by the watermelon’s flesh. Furthermore, the liquid injected would quickly leak out of the needle hole.
Researcher Dai Zhaoyi explained that from the perspective of watermelon growth, injecting sweeteners is unrealistic. This is because injections would leave small holes in the watermelon, which easily breed bacteria, causing the watermelon to start rotting within a few hours and become foul-smelling by the next day, making it unsellable.
In fact, technological advancements have played a key role in increasing watermelon sweetness, as watermelon varieties are continually optimized and cultivation techniques are consistently improved, which enables watermelons to become sweeter and satisfy everyone’s pursuit of a sweeter taste.
2. Does eating watermelon raise or lower blood sugar?
Although watermelon is sweet, diabetes patients don’t need to avoid it completely.
The GI value of watermelon is 72. While this seems high, whether it is suitable to eat watermelon depends not only on the GI value but also on the GL value, which measures glycemic load. If the GL value is less than 10, it indicates that the food has little impact on blood sugar.
The GL value for 100 grams of watermelon is 4.8, classifying it as a low GL food. Even if one eats 200 grams, the GL value is only 9.5, which has a minimal impact on blood sugar; therefore, diabetes patients can consume it in moderation.
However, Xu Shufang, a registered dietitian at the Chinese Nutrition Society, reminds that for diabetes patients, if their blood sugar levels are relatively stable, they can eat some watermelon every day; but for those whose blood sugar levels fluctuate greatly, it’s best to eat less or avoid watermelon altogether.
Furthermore, there are rumors that the calorie content of one watermelon is equivalent to six bowls of rice. How true is this?
First, let me reassure everyone: watermelon is not high in calories, so you can enjoy it without worry.
Just how low is the calorie content of watermelon? Let me elaborate:
For every bite of watermelon, which is about 20 grams, the calorie count is less than 10 kilocalories;
If you have a pound (about 300 grams) of watermelon, the calorie count just exceeds 100 kilocalories; even a large bowl of 500 grams of watermelon has only about 170 kilocalories, which is comparable to the calories in a small bowl of rice (approximately 146 grams).
Among various fruits, watermelon can be considered a “benevolent fruit”, sweet in taste, low in calories, and with minimal impact on blood sugar, so it can be enjoyed without fear.
3. There are 4 types of fruits that even diabetes patients can eat with confidence.
Many fruits, although sweet, do not necessarily cause blood sugar spikes.
Some fruits have low sugar content but are rich in fiber, which helps keep blood sugar levels steady. Research indicates that if diabetes patients eat fruits 1 to 4 times a week, their risk of poor blood sugar control is reduced by 20%; if they eat fruits more than 5 times a week, this risk can decrease by 30%.
Another study has also found that eating more fresh fruits can reduce…
