Watermelons and Pregnancy

I just learnt something yesterday....watermelons and pregnancy DON'T go well together! In an earlier post, I talked about how much I love eating watermelons and how I select them. So, it is kinda hard to give that up even though I'm pregnant now. So, what is the problem with eating watermelons while you're pregnant, you may ask? Let me just tell you what happened last night. I ate 3 small slices of watermelon. I ended up going to the bathroom (to pee) every 15 minutes for 2 hours after that!! That's why!! Urrrggh....not pleasant! But SO worth it!!!

A Malaysian friend also posted a comment on my watermelon post saying that according to Chinese beliefs, it's one of the foods to avoid during pregnancy as it is a "cooling" food. I wonder if it is also to prevent pregnant women from having to go through this bathroom ordeal. I don't know if I can give up watermelons just yet :( Maybe I'll just cut it down to 1 slice every now and then!

How To Select A Watermelon

I LOVE watermelons. I have been buying a watermelon almost every week this summer. Except for this one week when I bought this HUGE watermelon from a Farmer's Market that took us 2 whole weeks to eat it.

So, how do you select a watermelon?

This is how I do it :

Select watermelons that feel smooth and look slightly dull, not shiny. They should be symmetrically shaped with full rounded, not flat ends. The rind should be light green with dark green veins. The underside should have a cream or light yellowish colour, not white or pale green. I also pick it up to make sure it's heavy for it's size. I also know some people who pick it up and knock or tap on it to make sure it doesn't sound hollow.

However, all of these still do not insure a good watermelon. You just can't really judge a watermelon by the looks. But following the above, I have had 95% success rate till date.

The best bet is of course to buy watermelons that are already cut. Look for red, crisp, firm and juicy flesh which is not dry, mushy, fibrous, or stringy and has no white streaks running through it. Seeds should be dark and black or dark brown , not white, which is a sign of immaturity.

Info source :

Super Baby Book by Ruth Yaron