How long after a meal can you eat watermelon?

Oct 16, 2022 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
Generally, it is safe to eat watermelon about half an hour after a meal. By this time, the food in the stomach has been mostly digested, so eating watermelon will not interfere with gastrointestinal digestion or increase the digestive burden. Moreover, consuming watermelon about half an hour after eating can help promote intestinal motility and prevent constipation.

Generally, it is acceptable to eat a moderate amount of watermelon about half an hour after a meal, but overconsumption should be avoided. Specifically:

About 30 minutes after eating, most of the food in the stomach has been digested. Consuming watermelon at this time will not interfere with gastrointestinal digestive function or increase the digestive burden. Moreover, eating watermelon around half an hour after a meal can help promote intestinal motility, moisturize the intestines, and facilitate bowel movements, thereby helping prevent constipation.

Moderate consumption of watermelon offers benefits such as stimulating saliva production to quench thirst, promoting diuresis to reduce swelling, and relieving fatigue. However, if watermelon is eaten immediately after a meal, its high water content may dilute digestive juices, impairing complete digestion and absorption of food. This could also increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, potentially causing discomfort such as bloating and indigestion. It's important not to overeat watermelon, as it is considered a cold-natured food; excessive consumption may irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa and lead to diarrhea or abdominal pain.

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