How many watermelons do I need to eat for a 20 mile hike?

[joebartels]

As I get older I notice the habits of my elders. Some eat just as horrible if not worse on occasion than I do yet appear fit as fiddle. What I've noticed is their drinking habits while eating... most specifically being quantity and timing.

So I started googling and got all sorts of ranting opinions. There are some interesting aspects to this article if you take five minutes to read it.

I've always found it odd that people consume near boiling liquid. Occasionally I've heard cautions on cold liquids. The notorious too much salt warnings. What never crossed my mind before was quantity and timing. Which seems to correlate to the habits I've spied. I was thinking section 3.4 in the article (yeah you'd have to invest the five minutes of reading to understand at this point) was a big bunch of nonsense and perhaps it may very well be too. However using my highly scientific cross reference of approved educational material The Gods Must Be Crazy II, I'm beginning to wonder.

The puzzle of life ain't ten pieces but perhaps something to ponder.

[big_load]

How many watermelons do I need to eat for a 20 mile hike? - More than you can carry, but I think it's a trick question.

[Al_HikesAZ]

I've been giving your question some thought. I think you should be able to get 1 to 1 1/2 liters of juice out of a typical watermelon. But I guess juicing it sort of defeats the purpose ;)
A word of caution on the side effects of watermelon from WebMD :stretch: http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfuncti ... ral-viagra

Watermelon may be a natural Viagra, says a researcher. That's because the popular summer fruit is richer than experts believed in an amino acid called citrulline, which relaxes and dilates blood vessels much like Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).

So be careful of the side effects. Not sure how much you would need

How could watermelon be a natural Viagra? The amino acid citrulline is converted into the amino acid arginine, Patil says. "This is a precursor for nitric oxide, and the nitric oxide will help in blood vessel dilation."

So, the burning question: How much watermelon does it take?

"That is a good question," Patil says. Unfortunately, "I don't have an answer for that."

He does know that a typical 4-ounce serving of watermelon (about 10 watermelon balls) has about 150 milligrams of citrulline. But he can't say how much citrulline is needed to have Viagra-like effects.

[johnlp]

OK Joe. I read the article. IMO most of it is BS.

[kingsnake]

Depends if the watermelon has vodka in it ...

[DarthStiller]

OK Joe. I read the article. IMO most of it is BS.

What he said...

[satillayakker]

So.... according to the article, we are not supposed to drink fluids, (even though we naturally know what to do when we are thirsty) and we have the "desire" (otherwise known as our body saying drink more water, dummy!) because we don't eat enough fresh fruits and veggies...... really has nothing to do with heat.....
Well, seems to me then to answer your question, if you used some of our big S GA watermelons, I think 30-40 in your pack should do ya!

My ruling on this article: I think I am gonna throw the flag on this play!!!!!!!! I have heard more rediculous things, but NOT MANY!!

I would seriously need to see the research and study data as to where they came up with all this stuff! I agree that whole raw foods are better to eat than our general diet here in US, but I have a hard time seeing the real logic behind not drinking fluids. (good ones that is)

[Alston_Neal]

@Al_HikesAZ
I think we need to do some serious research. We'll get 20 melons, that's 10 apiece and munch them down.
We'll see what effects happen and then realize that we forgot to invite the ladies.
Suddenly this seems like a bad idea.
Nevermind...carry on.

[imike]

Hmmm... I used to hand carry a watermelon when doing Mt. Kimbell (Finger Rock Trail)... it provided a nice bit of weight augmentation for the day, and made for a great conversation piece when I ran into folks on the way down the hill. Given that was a ten mile effort, I guess I'd of needed a second melon for the longer 20 miles?

[big_load]

OK Joe. I read the article. IMO most of it is BS.

Only most of it?

[johnlp]

More good stuff from the same source:

2.3 Soft Drinks Are Hard Drugs

[DarthStiller]

2.3 Soft Drinks Are Hard Drugs

I saw that one! WTP?!

[outdoor_lover]

2.3 Soft Drinks Are Hard Drugs

I saw that one! WTP?!

Does that mean I can get a DUI for doing Dew???

[satillayakker]

Does that mean I can get a DUI for doing Dew???

If you add a little Orange Crush to it, you are just askin for one!!

A thought by me: I can tell you I wouldn't want to be the first officer that tried to write that one up!! I was a trooper for a few years, (now I teach LEO's) and there is no way in this world I can see that. For it to get that far, a drug has to have an effect on you enough to actually impare your functionality, and even as a Drug Recognition Expert, (trained to recognize impairment in all drugs) I never saw anyone on enough caffiene (By itself) to do that. If soft drinks are HARD drugs, then based on the article's reasoning so are cigarrettes, tylenol, oxygen..... I mean geesh, anything in too much concentration isn't good! (Disclaimer: I am in no way endorsing the use of cigarrettes tylenol, oxygen, Orange Crush, The Dew or any other mind altering substance!) :whistle:
A drug is basically anything you put in your body except natural food and water, but that don't make them all HARD DRUGS as the article implies.

I hope "Michelle" doesn't read this Harmfulness Of Common Beverages article! Then DEA will be raiding all our stores and ransacking our homes looking for Dr. Pepper and apple juice!

[outdoor_lover]

@gsp416dre
That would be like me "arresting" a cat for running At Large while on Catnip!

[WilliamnWendi]

@Outdoor Lover
My cat Izzy doesn't know anything about no nip! The stuff in his toy ducky is medicinal.

[Trishness]

2.3 Soft Drinks Are Hard Drugs

I saw that one! WTP?!

Does that mean I can get a DUI for doing Dew???

Rut Roh Pam......you in trouble BIG TIME!!!

[Trishness]

I was thinking section 3.4 in the article (yeah you'd have to invest the five minutes of reading to understand at this point) was a big bunch of nonsense and perhaps it may very well be too.

OK, I took the time to read the article and think it is nonsense. 6 glasses of fluids in 6 months? I wonder what their skin turgor is like.

My favorite part was this:

Many other people who eat a similar diet of chiefly fresh fruits and vegetables also report little or no need for drinking fluids.

Or a need for a laxative!

[outdoor_lover]

Rut Roh Pam......you in trouble BIG TIME!!!

You are sooo right I am! Dang, Trish, we got to get together soon. I miss the total exhaustion from just laughing!!!!

Or a need for a laxative!

Right again!!! I don't remember which class it was, but I've taken a few nutrition classes and of course they all said to choose a diet rich in Fiber. But only one instructor stressed that you have to intake a lot of water, otherwise all of that Fiber turns to cement!!!

[Jim]

These people who don't drink must live in some sort of bubble or never go outside and do anything strenuous, sweat, and need to replenish fluids. Raw food, go figure.

I don't know how many watermelons you would need to eat, but if you ate 3, and didn't sweat, then you kidneys would be processing over 1 gallon of fluid in day.