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Watermelon nutrition facts

Want to quench thirst and re-boost your body with anti-oxidants lycopene and vitamin-A? Watermelon has everything you need to beat the scorching summer heat. Wonderfully delicious, thirst-quenching melons are the great source of much needed water and electrolytes to beat the tropical summer temperatures.

Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of cucurbitaceae of the genus: citrullus, and is related to the other plants like cantaloupe, squash, and pumpkin that grow as vines on the ground. It is widely grown across many tropical countries where it is one of the major commercial crops.

Botanical name: Citrullus lanatus.

Watermelon fruit (Citrullus lanatus)	Melon- thin rind variety

Watermelon was originated from southern African countries and from where it spread to all over the tropical and subtropical regions. The plant bears many yellow colored flowers that may require honeybees for pollination.

The fruit has smooth, deep green or yellow colored thick exterior rind with light green or gray colored vertical stripes on the outer surface. Internally, the flesh is juicy, pink, red or yellow in color with numerous small black seeds embedded in the middle third of the flesh.

Watermelon has neutral flavor and taste is somewhat sweet like light sugar syrup.

Different varieties of watermelon-fruits are cultivated world over, featuring variation in their size, shape, and color of the flesh (red, orange, and yellow in color).

Health benefits of watermelon

• Rich in electrolytes and water content, melons are nature’s gift to beat tropical summer thirst.

• Watermelons are very low in calories (just 30 cal per 100 g) and fats yet very rich source of numerous health promoting phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants that are essential for optimum health.

• Watermelon is an excellent source of Vitamin-A, which is a powerful natural anti-oxidant. It is essential for vision and immunity. Vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

• It is also rich in anti-oxidant flavonoids like lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. These antioxidants are found to be protective against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. Phyto-chemicals present in watermelon like Lycopene (4532 mcg/100 g) and carotenoids have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen free radicals. Studies have also shown that lycopene protects skin damage from UV rays and from prostate cancer.

• Watermelon fruit is a good source of potassium; Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.

• It also contains good amount of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin-C and manganese. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

Selection and storage

Although watermelons grown in all the seasons in tropical environments; yet they are at their best during summer months. In the stores, try to buy organically grown melons since they are richer in taste and nutrients.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to judge the ripeness and taste without checking the wedge section of the melon. Look for one that is heavy for its size with rind that is relatively smooth and neither overly shiny nor overly dull, without any cuts or bruises on the surface that might have occurred while transporting the fruit.

Once at home, place the fruit in cool, well-ventilated place. The cut sections, however, should be kept inside the refrigerator.

Preparation and serving method

Wash the whole melon-fruit in cold running water; one can also otherwise wash it with wet cloth to remove any surface dust and insecticide/fungicide residues.

Watermelon cubes	Yellow watermelon sections along with regular variety! Photo courtesy: Francisco

Depending upon the size that you desire, the flesh can be sliced, cubed, or scooped into balls.

• Fresh watermelon should be eaten as it is, without any additions, to experience its delicious, natural taste.

• Cubes or sections of the melon are a great addition to fruit salad. Top wedges with ice cream!

• Jam, sorbet, fruit cocktail, and juice are some nutritious and delicious recipes you can make with melons.

• The seeds are roasted and eaten as a snack in some Asian countries.

• Its rind is used as vegetable in some South American countries.

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