Watermelon
Watermelon is an amazing fruit in which there is a high percentage of water content that accompanies several minerals and vitamins.
This fruit is high in vitamins including A, B5, B6 and C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants, Potassium, Iron, and amino acids.
Watermelon also is very low in sodium, that’s why we call it a summer snack.
There were several cases in which watermelon significantly saved people from heatstroke in tropical regions and hot months of the year.
Moreover, this wonderful fruit is good for athletes since it has only 40 calories in each cup and does not disarrange diet.
“Foods that are high in antioxidants and amino acids allow your body to be an ace in your routines,”
said Angela Lemond, a Plano, Texas-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“Antioxidants help prevent damage, premature aging, and cancer.
Amino acids are the basic building block for protein, and protein is essential in nearly every vital function in the body.”
Now, it’s time to talk about Lycopene more.
This nutrient guarantees the heart and bone health and preserves the human body from prostate cancer.
It is also a powerful antioxidant thought to have
anti-inflammatory properties, according to Victoria Jarzabkowski
a nutritionist with the Fitness Institute of Texas at The University of Texas at Austin.
Since watermelon has about 4-5 mg in every 100 gr, it’s considerably a beneficial fruit for the human body system.
To maximize your lycopene intake, let your watermelon fully ripen.
The redder your watermelon gets, the higher the concentration of lycopene becomes.
Beta-carotene and phenolic antioxidant content also increase as the watermelon ripens.
Beta carotene is an antioxidant found in
red orange fruits and vegetables.
It helps with immunity, skin, eye, and the prevention of cancer said Lemond.
To sum up, watermelons, especially the ripe ones, are rich in many essential nutrients. Try to add this fruit to your daily diet.
Watermelon Types
Have you ever noticed that this fruit may have various types that you don’t know about?
Globally 200 to 300 different varieties of watermelon are
accounted for although only 50
of these are enjoyed regularly.
In each country in the world
there might be only 2 or 3 types of this fruit.
Besides there are several countries in which only one type is known.
In the following, we tend to discuss some other types of this mysterious fruit. So stay with us.
Seeded
The first type to be mentioned is seeded.
This type is the one that we all know about and have seen in the groceries.
It is a basic watermelon that is round or oblong and weighs between 15 to 45 pounds.
These watermelons contain noticeable black seeds.
Seedless
Another type which may be less familiar to you is the seedless one. These watermelons are generally
around the 15-pound mark. Seedless watermelons often have small and easily edible white seeds.
Some varieties of watermelon that fall into this category include:
- Crimson
- Bijou
- Jack of Hearts
- King of Hearts
- Millionaire
- Nova
- Queen of Hearts
- Trio
- Miniature
The smaller variety that has a thin rind. Watermelon varieties such as the Sugar Baby and the Tiger Baby fall under this category.
Orange or Yellow
Varieties that lack lycopene often falls under the orange or yellow watermelon category. Some varieties of this fruit that fall under this category include:
- Desert King
- Tender-gold
- Yellow Baby
- Yellow Doll
There are other types of this fruit that we have brought their names in the list below.
- Bijou
- Amarillo
- Black Diamond
- Calsweet (Bush)
- Captivation
- Charleston Grey
- Estrella
- Exclamation
- Excursion
- Fascination
- Harvest Moon
- Jamboree
- Jubilee
- Kingman
- Melody
& the last one is the Moon and Stars (Red) type. As we mentioned before
there are 200-300 various types for watermelon of which we could bring only some.
Purchase Hints
If you are purchasing a pre-cut watermelon
that has already been sliced
into halves or quarters
choose the flesh that is deepest in color and lacks any white streaking.
If the watermelon is seeded
the seeds should also be deep in color
When purchasing a whole, uncut watermelon
there are several features that you’ll want to evaluate.
The first is weight.
A more ripened watermelon will feel heavy for its size. Heaviness in a watermelon is a good sign because
the water content will typically increase along with ripening
and more ripened watermelons will usually be 90% or higher in terms of their water amount.
To find a watermelon that feels heavy for its size, it can be helpful to lift a couple of different watermelons and compare their weights.
A second hint to check over is the “field spot.” More ripened watermelons
will have sat on the ground for longer periods and you’ll find evidence of this circumstance on the underside of the watermelon.
There will typically be a slightly flattened
spot that has developed a creamy yellow color.
If this spot is altogether absent, or if the color is whiter than cream-colored
you are likely to be looking at a watermelon
that was picked a little early
before it becomes ripe enough.
Watermelon uses in cooking
In Asian countries roasted
watermelon seeds
are either seasoned
and eaten as a snack food or ground up into cereal and used to make bread.
A featured item of Southern American cooking, the rind of watermelon
can be marinated
pickled or candied.
Watermelon is a wonderful addition to fruit salad.
And fruit salad
can be made days
ahead since cut fruit if chilled
retains its nutrients for at least 6 days.
A combination of fruits such as apples kiwi, mango, strawberries,
and banana would be both delicious and nutritious.
