A recent food poisoning case in Mumbai, India, has raised a fresh question: is it safe to eat watermelon at night? In that case, four members of a family fell ill and died after eating watermelon at the end of dinner. Although it is still not certain that the watermelon was the cause, the case has worried the public.

Experts say watermelon is not a harmful fruit in itself; it is very nutritious and good for the body. Indian nutritionist Dr Shilpa Arora said watermelon is about 94 per cent water and contains lycopene, potassium and fibre, which help digestion and keep the body hydrated.

She did, however, caution against eating watermelon at night. In her view, watermelon or other fruit should not be eaten after 7pm, because digestion slows at night and a somewhat acidic fruit like watermelon can cause digestive trouble then.

Ayurveda specialist Dr Dhanvantri Yogi expressed a similar view. He said that because watermelon contains a lot of water and natural sugar, eating it at night can leave many people with stomach discomfort, gas or a feeling of heaviness, and frequent urination can even disturb sleep.

So people with weak digestion, IBS, acidity or bloating, or diabetes should be more careful about eating watermelon at night. It is especially better to avoid eating it straight after a heavy meal.

Above all, although watermelon is a healthy fruit, eating it at the right time matters. Experts advise that it is best eaten during the day or between meals.

The report cites NDTV as its source.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.