When you are 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. Normally watermelons are purchased whole and uncut.
Most times we don’t have the freedom when buying a watermelon to look at its flesh and seeds. If it has seeds, they too should be deep in colour. The flesh should be a deep colour without white streaks. The best way to choose a juicy and flavourful melon is to look at the colour and the quality of the flesh. As a matter of fact, high intakes of vitamin C and beta-carotene have been shown in a number of scientific studies to reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the airway spasm that occurs in asthma, reduce the risk of colon cancer, and alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Fortunately, vitamin C and beta-carotene are very good at getting rid of these harmful molecules and can therefore prevent the damage they would otherwise cause. They can increase the inflammation that occurs in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and cause most of the joint damage that occurs in these conditions, and they can damage cells lining the colon, turning them into cancer cells. They can add to the severity of asthma attacks by causing airways to clamp down and close. They are able to oxidize cholesterol, making it stick to blood vessel walls, where it can lead to heart attack or stroke.
Orange flesh water melon free#
Free radicals are substances in the body that can cause a great deal of damage. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals.
Pink watermelon is also a source of the potent antioxidant, lycopene. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin A, because of its high concentration of beta-carotene.
It’s packed with some of the most important antioxidants that our bodies need. Watermelon is sweet, juicy and thirst quenching on a hot summer day. Did you know that watermelons are really a vegetable? While most watermelons have seeds that are black, brown, white, green or yellow, a few varieties are actually seedless. We usually associate the deep reddish pink colour with watermelons in fact, there are varieties that feature orange, yellow, or white flesh. They range in size and weight from a few pounds to as much as ninety pounds. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. Did you know that watermelons are really vegetables and are related to cantaloupes, squash and pumpkins. Watermelon is very high in water content, approximately 92%, giving its flesh a crumbly and subtly crunchy texture and making it one of the top favourite thirst-quenching fruits.
After having had a taste of watermelon, it is certainly obvious why this juicy, refreshing fruit got its name. Watermelons were brought to China around the 10th century and then became popular in Russia, where much of the commercial supply of watermelons is grown. Watermelons were considered to be very important in countries in the Mediterranean region since water was often in short supply in these areas and people could depend on this juicy fruit for quenching their thirsts.