Watermelon and its Healthy Benefits

Watermelon has always been famous among kids. Its color and freshness is heaven to the body during the scorching summer. However, watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality.

History: The watermelon was first cultivated in Egypt. It is thought that the watermelon was so heavily sought after in Egypt because of its high water content. The hydration that eating watermelon is probably the reason it was so heavily regarded due to Egypt's hot weather, lack of water, and deserts. Many people probably depended on watermelon as a primary water source. After all watermelon is 92% water.

Nutritional Value: Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good source of vitamin A and vitamin B6. In addition, watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium. Watermelon is rich in carotenoids. Some of the carotenoids in watermelon include lycopene, phytofluene, phytoene, beta-carotene, lutein, and neurosporene. Watermelon seeds are excellent sources of protein (both essential and non-essential amino acids) and oil. Watermelon seed is about 35% protein, 50% oil, and 5% dietary fiber. Watermelon seed is also rich in micro- and macro-nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, zinc etc.

Health Benefits: Apart from taste watermelon is very good for health and protects you from so many diseases too. Energy Production: Watermelon is concentrated with b-vitamins. B-vitamins are responsible for your body's energy production. Eating watermelon is a safe alternative to taking energy drinks prior to exercise. It also hydrates you due to its high water content as opposed to caffeine filled energy drinks that dehydrate you.

Macular Degeneration: Eating watermelon can protect against the negative effects of macular degeneration. It fights the age-related symptoms of vision loss. Studies show that eating watermelon is actually healthy for your eyes than eating carrots.

Cancer Fighting Properties: Supplementing watermelon into your diet can help prevent and fight heart and colon cancer. It does this because of its rich antioxidant profile. The antioxidants of the watermelon are very concentrated and kill the cancer causing free radicals.

Protection against Heart Disease: Lycopene present in watermelon is an antioxidant. Scientific studies have shown that Lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer and heart disease in people.

Controlling anxiety: Watermelon is rich in Vitamin B6, which is an important attribute to have in a healthy diet because it promotes chemicals in the brain that help people to cope with anxiety and panic.

How to shop and store:

1. The best way to choose a flavourful melon is to look at the color and quality of the flesh, which should be a deep color and absent from white streaks. If it features seeds, they should be deep in color.
2. When choosing a whole watermelon, look for one that is heavy for its size with a rind that is relatively smooth and that is neither overly shiny nor overly dull.
3. Once cut, watermelons should be refrigerated in order to best preserve their freshness, taste and juiciness. If the whole watermelon does not fit in your refrigerator, cut it into pieces (as few as possible), and cover them with plastic wrap to prevent them from becoming dried out and from absorbing the odors of other foods.

How it is grown: By nature, watermelon is a warm season plant, and while there are some smaller varieties that will mature with care, in the colder northern regions, they are most commonly grown in more southern climates, where the season is longer, and the sun, more plentiful.Watermelons can grow in many kinds of soil, but prefer one of sandy loam. Likewise, they tolerate a wide range of pH levels, from 5.0 to 6.8, but do best in the upper ranges of over 6.0.

• Whether you are planting outside directly from seed, or using seedlings, rake up a mound along the row, or create individual hills.
• Plant the seed ½" deep through a hole you've made in the plastic. Use 3-6 seeds per hill, and when there is sufficient growth to assess, remove all but the three strongest plants.
• If you've decided to go with rows, and have grown your seeds indoors, then seedlings should be planted three feet apart in prepared rows.
• After your seedlings are in the ground, you can use side dressings of 1-2-3 fertilizer.
• Watermelons have deep roots and access water better than many plants. However, you may still have to water during a long, dry period. For this, you might like to try laying "soaker" hose along the row.
• Weeding is also important, and can be accomplished with shallow hoeing. A layer of straw mulch around the plants and between rows can also be effective.
• Your crop will mature in anywhere from 60-85 days, depending on your climate, and the variety you are growing.

Fruit are ready to harvest when the little green curls around the stem have turned brown, when the area of the skin that lays on the ground becomes yellow, and when the skin is resistant to puncture by a fingernail.

Some Serving Ideas:

1. Mix pure watermelon, cantaloupe and kiwi together. Swirl in a little plain yogurt and serve as refreshing cold soup.
2. 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.
3. Even the rind of watermelon can be marinated, pickled or candied.
4. Watermelon mixed with thinly sliced red onion, salt and black pepper makes a great summer salad.

Try Watermelon Cooler in summer and cool yourself.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (4 cups) sliced seedless watermelon, rind removed
• 1 cup lemon sorbet
• 1 lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• Watermelon wedges and mint, for garnish

Method

1. In a food processor, blend watermelon, sorbet, and lemon zest until very smooth.
2. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cold water.
3. Cover and refrigerate until very cold.
4. Serve over ice and garnish with watermelon wedges and mint.So next time you go to store, don't forget to shop for watermelon.

(Source: whfoods.com, articlesbase.com, hubpages.com, searchwarp.com, foodnetwork.com)