The efficacy and function of winter melon
Release time : 04/18/2025 09:30:02
Winter melon, a nutritious vegetable, has multiple health benefits that make it an ideal food for weight loss and beauty.
The benefits and effects of winter melon include its rich content of malonic acid, which helps prevent the accumulation of fat in the body and also aids in burning excess fat.
The protein and citrulline contained in winter melon seeds can moisturize the skin and also inhibit the formation of melanin, among other benefits.
The Benefits and Effects of Winter Melon: Winter melon is a vegetable with multiple health benefits and is the best food for relieving summer heat.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, winter melon (冬瓜) has a sweet and mild taste, with a cool nature. It is believed to have the effects of moistening the lungs, promoting fluid production, resolving phlegm, quenching thirst, promoting urination, reducing swelling, clearing heat, relieving summer heat, detoxifying, and expelling pus. Below are the specific benefits and functions of winter melon: 1. **Clearing Heat and Relieving Summer Heat**: Winter melon has a cold nature and a sweet taste, making it effective in clearing heat, promoting fluid production, and alleviating irritability caused by summer heat. It is particularly suitable for consumption during the hot summer months.
2. Lowering blood pressure and promoting diuresis to reduce swelling: Due to its high vitamin C content, elevated potassium levels, and low sodium content, winter melon is particularly suitable for patients requiring a low-sodium diet, such as those with hypertension, kidney disease, or edema.
3. Protecting the Kidney: Melons, including watermelon juice and extracts, can increase urine output in animals, mitigate the severity of nephropathy caused by mercury, and significantly reduce serum creatinine levels.
4. Weight Loss and Lipid-Lowering: Studies have found that winter melon is rich in citric acid.
Effective in controlling the transformation of carbohydrates into fat in the body, preventing fat accumulation in the body, and can consume excess fat from obesity, has a good weight loss effect.
It mainly exists in the flesh of winter melon, which helps metabolism and inhibits the conversion of sugar into fat as one of the weight loss and lipid-lowering function factors in winter melon.
5. Beauty Enrichment: The oil acid in the seeds of winter melon has the active property to inhibit the deposition of melanin in the body, making it a good ingredient for skin moisturizing and beautification.
The seeds of winter melon contain more protein and citrulline, which can moisturize the skin and inhibit the formation of melanin.
6. Blood Sugar Reduction: The dietary fiber content in winter melon is very high, with about 0.9 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams.
Modern medical research indicates that foods high in dietary fiber effectively improve blood sugar levels. The correlation between blood sugar index and the content of dietary fiber in food is negatively related.
Additionally, dietary fiber can also lower cholesterol levels in the body.
7. Exclusion of Carcinogenic Substances: The crude fiber in winter melon can stimulate intestinal peristalsis, allowing the carcinogenic substances accumulated in the intestines to be expelled quickly.
The nutritional value of winter melon is not only sweet and refreshing, but also rich.
Winter melon is rich in various vitamins and essential trace elements, which can regulate the body's metabolism and maintain a balance. It also has the effects of nourishing the stomach and generating fluids, as well as clearing heat in the stomach.
Gourd soup is a very popular diet meal for many people who are looking to lose weight.
Winter melon soup can make people eat less, and promote the conversion of starch and sugar into energy in the body instead of fat.
Here is the English translation of the nutritional value of winter melon (per 100 grams): **Nutritional Value of Winter Melon (per 100g):** - Calories: 47.05 kcal - Carotene: 334.2 µg - Potassium: 257.81 mg - Calcium: 71.59 mg - Vitamin C: 57.84 mg - Vitamin A: 54.67 µg - Phosphorus: 40.76 mg - Folate: 28.2 µg - Magnesium: 27.77 mg - Sodium: 9.79 mg - Carbohydrates: 8.96 g - Dietary Fiber: 2.48 g - Fat: 1.72 g - Protein: 1.41 g - Niacin: 1.09 mg - Iron: 0.95 mg - Vitamin E: 0.75 mg - Selenium: 0.72 µg - Zinc: 0.27 mg - Copper: 0.24 mg - Manganese: 0.15 mg - Iodine: 0.12 µg - Vitamin B6: 0.06 mg - Vitamin B2: 0.05 mg - Vitamin B1: 0.03 mg
Many chemical components in winter melon exhibit significant physiological activity.
The flesh of winter melon contains various functional components such as adenine, β-sitosterol, lupeol, tridecanol, mannitol, rhamnose, and cucurbitacin β.
The flesh of winter melon contains trigonelline, histidine, adenine, vitamin B1, C, E, and other nutrients.
The rind of winter melon contains waxes, resins, and other substances.
Winter melon seeds contain 0.6% saponins, as well as urea, urease, fatty oils, citrulline, histidine, lupanol, mannitol, β-sitosterol, and other components. Notably, they are particularly rich in vitamin B1.
Winter melon is often used to make soup or stir-fried and braised dishes.
Here are some common dishes that use winter melon as the main ingredient: Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup, Winter Melon and Shrimp Soup, Braised Winter Melon, Stir-Fried Winter Melon, and Winter Melon Soup Bowl.
Let's learn together how to make braised winter melon and winter melon spare rib soup.
Recipe for Braised Winter Melon: Ingredients: - Winter melon (appropriate amount) - Salt (appropriate amount) - A pinch of chicken bouillon - A dash of light soy sauce - Dark soy sauce (appropriate amount) - A small amount of oyster sauce - A pinch of sugar Instructions: 1. Peel and remove the seeds from the winter melon. Score the surface with a knife and cut into cubes.
2. Heat oil in a hot pan, and when it's hot, add the winter melon pieces and fry them until they become slightly golden on all sides. Remove the winter melon from the pan and place it on one side, then add a little sugar and stir to caramelize the sugar. Mix the caramelized sugar with the winter melon pieces.
3. Add salt, a suitable amount of soy sauce, and dark soy sauce to evenly color the winter melon.
4. Add a small amount of water and stir well before covering the pot and simmering it until the winter melon is cooked.
5. 然后加入蚝油、鸡精，用大火翻炒至酱汁收浓。撒上切好的葱花即可上桌。
Tip: 1. For easier flavor absorption, make diagonal cuts on the surface of the winter melon.
2. When cooking sugar, pay extra attention not to burn it; if you're unsure, opt for a slightly shorter cooking time and add winter melon once the sugar is nearly melted.
How to make Drunken Pork and Winter Melon Soup: Ingredients: 400g winter melon, 200g pork ribs, 1 piece of fresh ginger, 100g dried scallops, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of refined salt, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate. Preparation: 1. Clean the pork ribs, cut them into small pieces, and boil them in boiling water for a short time to remove the fishy taste and blood. Drain off the water and pat dry with a towel.
2. Clean and wash the fresh ginger, then bruise it lightly with your hands.
3. Peel the winter melon, cut it into thick slices.
4. Add water to a clay pot, add pork ribs, dried scallop slices, and fresh ginger, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer on low heat for 40 minutes until the ribs are cooked through. After that, add winter melon slices and continue to stew for another 20 minutes.
5. After the watermelon is cooked, add salt, monosodium glutamate and sesame oil.
Can pregnant women consume winter melon? Winter melon, with its sweet and slightly bland flavor and a cool nature, is generally considered safe for consumption. However, during the postpartum period in maternity care, it is traditionally believed that the uterus should not be exposed to cold, as doing so could hinder the body's recovery from childbirth.
However, research conducted by experts has proven that consuming winter melon can help postpartum mothers reduce edema and promote milk production.
Is it okay for pregnant women to consume winter melon? Pregnant women can eat winter melon, but those with a weak spleen and coldness prone to diarrhea should be cautious, and those with chronic diseases and an excess of yang and cold limbs should avoid it.
Winter melon is rich in carbohydrates, starch, protein, fat, carotene, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and many vitamins.
Winter melon has the effects of promoting diuresis, reducing swelling, relieving heat in summer, alleviating irritability, detoxifying and transforming phlegm, generating fluids, quenching thirst.
During sea voyages, pregnant women are prone to edema. Consumption of winter melon can help in diuresis and reduce swelling.
Postpartum women can consume winter melon, but it is important to maintain a light and nutritious diet.
Due to the coolness of winter melon, pregnant women should not consume large amounts after childbirth, and they should eat raw winter melons to avoid unbalanced nutrition intake.
What are the benefits of consuming winter melon (winter melon) postpartum? 1. There are many advantages for postpartum mothers to consume winter melon.
Winter melon promotes urination and reduces swelling, which is beneficial for the prompt urination after childbirth surgery and contributes to postpartum recovery.
2. Pairing winter melon with meat in soup not only stimulates appetite and provides nutritional benefits but also has the effect of promoting lactation.
3. Winter melon is rich in Vitamin C and contains high potassium but low sodium, making it a beneficial food for patients with hypertension, kidney disease, edema, etc., as it can reduce swelling without harming vital energy.
4. Postpartum, consuming winter melon can help in reducing swelling and aiding in weight loss.
5. Winter melon also has a role in relieving dryness and alleviating depressive emotions.
Winter melon has the effect of reducing internal heat, which to some extent can alleviate irritability and depressive emotions in postpartum women, effectively helping to prevent postpartum depression.
*The medical content in this article is for reference only.
If you feel unwell, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately. Please consult a healthcare professional for an in-person diagnosis and treatment.