Many people across the world enjoy watermelon so we have compiled a list of interesting facts about watermelons.Watermelons belong to the same family as squash, cucumbers and pumpkins, but are categorized as both a fruit and a vegetable. These huge fruits are especially refreshing in summer, but make an extremely nutritious snack that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, or in any season.Watermelons are flowering species belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. These are clambering and clinging fruits that are vine-like and are loved by many people across the globe.With more than 1,000 varieties, watermelons are widely cultivated across the globe and are favored by farmers in tropical and temperate regions where the warm climate is favorable for the production of melons in profuse supply.Though huge in appearance, the berry does not have dissections inside. With sugary succulent flesh, hybrid melons can be seedless. Mostly eaten fresh from the fields, they have black seeds, flesh that is a red-pinkish color, and green skin. Both a fruit and a vegetable, they are used in preparing wines and other mixed beverages and juices.Ever wondered where watermelons originate from? Watermelons are believed to have hailed from the north-east of Africa, in around 3,500 BC, in Uan Muhhogiag, Libya. By 2,000 BC, they began to be cultivated in nearby Egypt. Then people from the Kalahari desert, in South Africa, claim to have harvested watermelons around 5,000 years ago.Later, they found their way to the Mediterranean Sea, probably through trade, to reach Europe, then the Americas. It is believed that melons accompanied African slaves in ships to North America.Read further to know some interesting watermelon facts. Find out not just the nutritional benefits but a few facts that you may not have known about watermelon and different cuisines that are prepared from watermelons. After reading about the standard as well as unusual varieties of watermelon, also check out our facts about watermelon and watermelon nutrition facts.Nutrition Content of WatermelonsComprising 92% water, did you think such a weighty fruit would have nutritional benefits? Without a doubt, watermelon is an extremely nutritious fruit that offers some essential nutrients to your body.Here are some of the most important aspects related to various nutrients that are present in watermelon:You would be astonished at the fact that watermelons, though humongous in size, can be perfect for when you are dieting, or in order to maintain a healthy weight. They have a low-calorie content and are rich in nutrients. As per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a cupful of diced melon is a healthy meal and has a myriad nutritious benefits.Melons have 46 kcal, 0.008 oz (0.23 g) of fats, 0.40 oz (11.48 g) of carbohydrates, 2.4 percent fibre, 0.03 oz (0.93 g) of protein, 0.33 oz (9.42 g) of sugar, a water content of 91%, 0.0003 oz (11 mg) of calcium, 0.0009 oz (0.36 mg) iron, with 0.0005 oz (15 mg) of magnesium and 0.0005 oz (170 mg), and the list doesn’t end there.Melons boast vitamin A and vitamin C in abundance. Vitamin A helps fight eye disease, boosts your immune system, and reduces the possibilities of certain cancers, among a multitude of other benefits. Vitamin C, on the other hand, is a game-changer in preventing chronic diseases as it boosts your immune system, and aids the absorption of iron, and lowers the risk of heart disease. Both vitamins can lessen inflammation in the body, which is especially good for people who suffer from Long Covid, and have increased levels of inflammation in their bodies, or people with auto-immune disorders.The potassium content in melons, though small, can help prevent numerous heart-related diseases and help prevent high blood pressure.Rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients, watermelons help us heal from cell damage. The presence of beta-carotene helps fight a number of cancers– colon, prostate, lung, breast, and pancreatic cancers, among a few.Lycopene, a pigment that protects us from harmful UV rays, is present in watermelons in abundance. Studies throw light on the fact that lycopene is ampler in watermelons than in red tomatoes.Ciytullineis is an amino acid that is present in watermelons in hight amounts. This adds to nitric oxides in the body and helps combat swings in blood-pressure levels.Lycopene is not only an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient, it also helps reduce the chances of blindness at an early age.Benefits Of WatermelonsWhenever we pick any fruit or vegetable, it is useful to make note of the nutrition content in a standard serving size. This basically helps you understand the possible health benefits that can be drawn from eating such foods. The same is the case with watermelons. They are abundant in various nutrients which provides you with multiple health benefits in the long run.Because it is sugary and has such a high water content, watermelon is one of the best foods to keep you hydrated in scorching summers. In the U.S., the fruit has become a must have, especially in the hotter regions where summers can become unbearable. Electrolytes in watermelons help balance the body temperature at such times and cell functioning also relies on timely hydration.If you are on a diet and if your tummy wants to feel full, in order to not compromise on nutrient intake, then consuming watermelons is a good idea.Even Type II diabetic patients can eat a few slices of watermelon and enjoy the sweet flavor of the fruit. Risks of stroke and high cholesterol levels can be negated by contents like lycopene in watermelons. A cup of cubed melons or melon juice can be very refreshing to your body after vigorous exercise, and it has compounds that prevent muscle soreness.If you are bothered about your skin and hair health, watermelons can turn out to be your constant companion in the fight against wrinkles, plus it nourishes dry skin. Watermelons have fluids and fiber in plentiful supply, and these vegetable-cum-fruit can help you have healthy digestion.Preparations From WatermelonOther than enjoying slices of watermelon, you can also whip up some interesting recipes. Be it refreshing beverages or delectable desserts, watermelons make for an extremely versatile ingredient. Here are some interesting preparations featuring watermelons that you will almost certainly enjoy:Watermelons can be diced and devoured without any add-ons or seasonings. But you can try some new cuisines with watermelons and a few ideas here are worth trying. There are recipes that even children can try out and are quite simple.Grab a watermelon, slice it into cubes and top them with cold chocolate cream for a perfect treat in summer. Jam, juice, sorbet, and cocktails can all be made from watermelons and are good if you are on a diet. In some Asian countries, the seeds are roasted and eaten as snacks.In South America and China, the hard rinds of watermelons are cooked as vegetables, and can be stir fire or roasted. Pickles can also be prepared out of hard green rinds.Watermelon margaritas are refreshing drinks during the summer (though watch the alcohol content! Too much alcohol can lead to dehydration).You might have had popsicles before but what about popsicles stuffed with watermelons and kiwi? That’s worth giving a try. Just whisk the watermelon and kiwi in a blender and mix with the rest of the ingredients and place them in molds, and then place in the freezer for a few hours. Your delectable popsicles will be ready within a couple of hours.For something savory, watermelon is good in a salad. Try watermelon-chicken salad, watermelon-blueberry salsa, or even make the cold soup watermelon gazpacho with them. There are dozens of other salads you can try in the summer months and watermelons will add to your healthy diet. Whenever fruit is used in a salad recipe, just substitute watermelon for the fruit featured in the recipe.Another extremely simple and tasty way of enjoying watermelon is to place some cubes of watermelon in your water bottle along with slices of cucumbers and mint leaves, and some ice cubes. So, every time you sip from the bottle, you will feel a festival of flavors in your mouth.Looking for interesting stir-fried recipes featuring watermelon, like in South America and China? Well, watermelon makes a great savoury dish, unlike many other fruits, but do not make the mistake of trying to stir fry the pulp of watermelon as it is more than 90% water. But this is not the case with watermelon rind. It is an equally nutritious and delectable portion of the watermelon fruit. It is actually quite simple to stir fry watermelon. Chop the rind into small pieces and pan-fry it in a large pan in some olive oil. Add seasonings as per your preferences to enjoy a delicious stir-fry recipe. You can also cut watermelon into cubes, drizzle with oil, season, and place on a roasting tray, topped with the seeds inside, then put in the oven for about 20 minutes, or enjoy it stir-fried in a pan for about eight minutes. This makes a delicious replacement for the usual vegetables you roast, so try something different!Fun Facts About WatermelonHere are a few refreshing watermelon facts that you need to know and will leave you feeling amazed.You might have mostly seen melons with pinkish flesh. In America, the varieties bear a color of deep red to orange.China is the leading producer of watermelons in the world.It is believed that Egyptians buried watermelons along with the dead in royal burial tombs so that the dead have no trouble getting water and sustenance.And did you know that the Greek Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, prescribed melons as medication for heatstroke?Even picking up a watermelon from a heap of them is an art. Always pick a heavy one that is symmetrically shaped and has a yellow patch on its bottom. This is because the lighter watermelons might easily get spoilt and are low in water content.Just like pumpkin, watermelon plants start bearing yellow flowers after about two weeks, and are pollinated via bees and other flying insects. The seeded fruit matures to become watermelons.Toma watermelons, in Japan, have black rinds and are widely sought-after in markets for their particular sweetness and sugary flesh.In 2013, Chris Kent, a farmer from Sevierville, in Tennessee, in the USA, grew a watermelon of 350.5 lb (159 kg) that got into the Guinness World Records for being the heaviest watermelon in the world. This heaviest-watermelon record came to light during the Operation Pumpkin Festival conducted in Hamilton, Ohio. The weight of this watermelon was almost equal to that of an average reindeer! How’s that for a big watermelon?In 1979 and 2005, Lloyd Bright held the record for growing huge watermelons. His first watermelon weighed around 200 lb (91 kg), then he produced a watermelon in 2005 that weighed more than 268 lb (122 kg). North Carolina and South Carolina also have a reputation for producing giant watermelons and pumpkins.Have you heard of cucamelons? Cucumbers and watermelons are hybridized to produce cucamelons, and are also called gherkins and sour melons in Mexico.Hybridization is an entirely natural technique that is used by watermelon farmers to increase their revenue by charging a higher price from customers who prefer buying a seedless watermelon. As a matter of fact, till a couple of decades back, seedless watermelons were considered a luxury and were really hard to find. But now they have become quite popular across the world, including the USA. In fact, almost 85% of the watermelons sold in the USA are seedless watermelons.Do not be disheartened if you find some white seeds in your watermelon. These are in fact empty seed coats and are therefore perfectly safe to eat. These seed coats do not have any flavor of their own, unlike normal watermelon seeds. So, you can enjoy a seedless watermelon without any worries.Watermelons are not free from disorders and disease, just like other fruits. When there are failures in the seed-production process, watermelons appear triangular shaped and develop three gaps inside. This disorder is called a hollow heart. Note that it is only a disorder and is perfectly safe for consumption, though they are mostly rejected before entering the markets and mostly don’t reach your hands. Watermelon diseases include anthracnose, which causes watermelons to turn black and sunken. There is also bacterial fruit blotch, caused by the bacterium Acidovorax avenae subspecies citrulli and is often responsible for seedlings and young plants and fruits to become necrotic. They will also crack and ooze a yellow sticky liquid. Downy mildew and powdery mildew can infect crops but mostly leaves the fruit unharmed. Gummy stem blight turns the stem black but can be treated with copper fungicide.Seeds in watermelons often hinder the taste and enjoyment. But horticulturalists have produced seedless watermelons that are a genetically modified sterile hybrid variety. The triploid seeds are employed to produce seedless watermelons.Watermelons are generally oval or spherical-shaped; but have you ever come across cube-shaped watermelons? Farmers in Japan have produced cube-shaped watermelons, heart-shaped, pyramid-shaped, and even in the shape of a human face!The Bradford family in South Carolina developed a variety of watermelons that were hereditarily passed on for more than 100 years! They were much sought-after from the 1840s but had declined in popularity by the 1920s. However, it is still being grown by Nat Bradford, the great-great-great grandson of the original creator of the variety, Nathaniel Napoleon Bradford.Oklahoma state in the U.S. has the watermelon as its state vegetable, after a bill was passed. The state also holds the Rush Springs, which is an annual watermelon festival.Watermelons have been around for more than 5,000 years. The earliest evidence of watermelons being consumed can be found in Egyptian hieroglyphics. There are stories that watermelons were left inside tombs of kings who had passed away. What was the reason behind placing watermelons inside tombs? Well, as you may know, Egyptians believed in life after death and used to make elaborate preparations for a comfortable life after their death. So, watermelons were placed inside tombs to ensure that the dietary requirements of kings were taken care of in their afterlife. People believed that the nutritional properties of this fruit would provide them with much-needed nutrition to lead a comfortable afterlife.In Egypt and Israel, it is common for watermelon to be served with feta cheese.There are more than 1,200 varieties of different watermelons.The scientific name for a watermelon is Citrullus Lanatus.Chinese people offer watermelons as gifts to a host.Watermelon only began growing in China in the 10th century and Europe in the 13th century.Some varieties of watermelon need 130 warm days to fully ripen.Early explorers sometimes carried watermelons instead of canteens of water.More than 300 types of watermelon are grown in the U.S., although only about 50 varieties are grown for grocery stores. Watermelon sweetness can be measured by a Brix scale. Most watermelons are around nine to 10 on the Brix scale. Very sweet watermelon measure 11 to 12 on the Brix scale.
Many people across the world enjoy watermelon so we have compiled a list of interesting facts about watermelons.
