By Jennifer Gruenemay
Is there anything better on a hot summer’s day than a cold slice of watermelon, dripping with sweet juices and calling out your name? Well, possibly a nice cool dip in the lake. But what could be better than having watermelon at the lake on a hot summer’s day? Not much. While you may be thinking that an ice-cream cone would be a mighty tasty cool-down treat, don’t forget this seasonal equation: summer + swimming = bathing suit season. Not only is watermelon a fat-free, figure-friendly food, unlike ice-cream, it’s also bursting with flavor and a variety of nutrients. And, being 92% percent water, this summertime melon easily satisfies both your hunger and thirst…
Watermelon 101A member of the Cucurbitaceae family, watermelon is related botanically to cucumber and squash, which are incidentally fruits, not vegetables.
Watermelon is thought to be native to Africa, where this water-yielding fruit was commonly used by natives as a valuable means of carrying water.
Today, there are more than 200 varieties of watermelon grown around the world, with 50 varieties making their home in the U.S.
Does thumping on melons really help to choose a tasty fruit? Actually, yes. Ripe melons that are ready to eat will have a hollow sound when given a firm thump.
Other ways to tell if your watermelon is ripe is to test the weight of the fruit – it should feel heavy for its size, indicating that its flesh is bursting with sweet juices.
Flip the fruit around in your hands to find the spot where the melon sat on the ground. If this spot is white, the melon is not yet ripe. However, if this spot has turned yellow, the fruit is indeed ripe and ready for your picnic table.
There are literally hundreds of ways to enjoy a good watermelon, from dicing it up for fruit salads, puréeing the flesh for frozen slushies or cold soups, or even roasting the seeds (like is done with pumpkin seeds).
But the best way to really enjoy watermelon is simply to cut into smile-sized wedges, grab the rinds with both hands, and dive in face-first. For more fun with watermelon, try this tasty recipe: Melon Kebabs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce.
Nutritional Benefits
Watermelon, like tomatoes, is a rich source of the carotenoid Lycopene, offering about 7.4mg per one cup of fruit. What might surprise you is that watermelon actually has about 60% more lycopene than raw tomatoes (cooked tomatoes are more lycopene-rich).
Not only is watermelon rich in this cancer-fighting carotenoid, it’s also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, fiber and even supplies a small amount of calcium.
Nutritional Benefits - 1 cup watermelon - | ||
Calories | 48 | |
Fat | 0g | |
Carbohydrates | 10g (1g dietary fiber) | |
Protein | 1g | |
Nutrient RDAs | 12mg calcium | 1.2% |
7.4mg lycopene | -- | |
176mg potassium | 6-8* | |
14mg vitamin C | 23% | |
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