Just about everyone enjoys a ripe, juicy, tasty, refreshing, cold watermelon on a hot day. For most – that’s about all that’s important. There are however some facts below that can contribute to your enjoyment. Read on.
Today, upwards of 300 watermelon varieties are grown in the US and Mexico (although only about 50 are popular). You may think you know everything there is to know about this summertime fruit, but allow me to surprise you… watermelon is more than just delicious… it’s a super-healthy addition to your diet (in moderation, of course).
1. Watermelon Has More Lycopene Than Raw Tomatoes
2. Watermelon Juice May Relieve Muscle Soreness
3. Watermelon Is a Fruit and a Vegetable
4. You Can Eat Watermelon Rind and Seeds
5. It’s Mostly Water
6. Some Watermelon Are Yellow
7. Watermelon is an ancient fruit. The earliest recorded harvest dates back to 5,000 B.C. in Egypt.
8. Historians believe watermelon originated in the Kalahari Desert in Africa.
9. In Ancient Egypt, watermelons were placed inside the tombs of kings and queens to nourish them in the afterlife.
10. Watermelons are the botanical cousins of cucumber, squash and pumpkins.
11. Are you familiar with Citrullus Lanatus? That’s the official name for watermelons.
12. Cracked watermelons, aka melons with a “hollow heart,” are sweeter due to the concentration of sugars on the cracks.
13. There are anywhere from 200 to 300 varieties of watermelon grown in the United States and Mexico.
14. The world’s heaviest watermelon weighed 268.8 pounds (121.93 kg), according to the Guinness World Records. It was grown by Lloyd Bright of Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 2005.
15. Watermelons have more lycopene (an antioxidant) than any other fruit or vegetable.
16. Contrary to popular belief, seedless watermelons are not genetically modified. They are a sterile hybrid produced by crossing male pollen with a female watermelon flower.
17. Watermelon Extract May Significantly Reduce Blood Pressure
18. Watermelon also contains an impressive variety of other important nutrients in which many Americans are lacking, including:
Vitamin C
Vitamin B6
Potassium
Vitamin A
MagnesiumYou can read more details about many of the above by clicking here.
You can also check out our early July watermelon post by clicking here.
article source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/21/watermelon-nutrition.aspx
https://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/food-drinks/watermelon-fun-facts/
photo credit: Google Images
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS8PY0RQcNw
